Waste paper–wood composites bonded with isocyanate

Waste paper could potentially be used as raw material for fiber- or particle-based composites without resorting, deinking and decontamination required for paper manufacturing. The objective of this study was the evaluation of one-layer boards made of various ratios (0:100,15:85, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0) of waste paper flakes to wood particles mixtures (wt:wt). Three types of waste paper (newspaper, office paper and magazine paper) in pure form or mixed all together were used for board manufacture. PMDI resin at three different levels of 5, 8 and 10% without or with the addition of various amounts of wax (0.7, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%) were applied. The participation of waste paper flakes in boards made their appearance more attractive than ordinary particleboards and fiberboards made of wood. In contrast to internal bond, screw-holding strength and thickness swelling, properties that deteriorated substantially as the waste paper percentage increased, the bending strength was only slightly affected. By increasing the resin content all properties of boards and particularly internal bond and thickness swelling were improved. The addition of wax reduced considerably the thickness swelling of boards containing waste paper; however, even at a 2.0% level, it remained greater than the maximum permitted value specified by the relevant standard. Among the three types of waste paper tested, newspaper proved to be the most appropriate for board manufacture, and magazine paper the least appropriate. With the exception of screw-holding strength, the substitution of wood particles by mixed waste paper flakes in amounts up to 50% resulted in acceptable mechanical properties for specific applications in interior uses.     

Effect of organoclay platelets on the mechanical properties of wood–plastic composites formulated with virgin and recycled polypropylene

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of organoclay platelet contents (0, 3 and 5 wt%) and polypropylene type (virgin and recycled) on the mechanical properties of polypropylene/wood flour composites. Composite samples were made by melt compounding and consequent injection moulding. The tensile, flexural and impact properties of resultant composites were determined. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of composites with 3 and 5% nanoclay content was also conducted. The results indicated that tensile and flexural properties of the composites increased with the addition of nanoclay particles up to 3 wt% and decreased thereafter. The impact strength of the composites, however, decreased with the incorporation of nanoclay. The mechanical properties of the recycled polypropylene-based nanocomposites were statistically comparable with those based on virgin polypropylene. XRD analysis revealed that the degree of intercalation in the nanocomposites containing 3% nanoclay was higher than in those containing 5%. Based on these results, it can be concluded that recycled polypropylene could be used instead of virgin polypropylene in the production of value-added products with no significant adverse effects on the mechanical properties.     

Examination of the failure behavior of wood with a short crack in the radial–longitudinal system by single-edge-notched bending test

The failure behavior of wood with a short crack was examined by conducting the single-edge-notched bending tests of a radial-longitudinal system on Agathis specimens. In the test, the mode I critical stress intensity factor was measured, and its validity was checked by the result from double cantilever beam testing method. The mode I critical stress intensity factor decreased when the crack length approached zero. With crack length correction, a constant critical stress intensity factor was obtained over a wide range of crack length including crack-free specimen.     

Toughening wood/polypropylene composites with polyethylene octene elastomer （POE）

Introduction Wood-Plastic Composite (WPC), due to its high stiffness, low density, low cost, environment friendly characteristics such as recyclablity and biodegradability, is gaining more and more interests, both in research and application. However, one…     

Application of micromechanical models to tensile properties of wood–plastic composites

Wood–plastic composites (WPC) were produced with white birch pulp fibers of different aspect ratios (length-to-diameter), high-density polyethylene, and using two common processes: extrusion or injection molding. Three additive levels were also used: no additive, compatibility agent, and process lubricant. Fiber size was measured with an optical fiber quality analyzer. Tensile properties of WPC were measured and modeled as a function of fiber aspect ratio. Models were fitted to experimental values using the minimum sum of squared error method. A shift from the oriented fiber case (injection molding) to the randomly oriented fiber case (extrusion) was achieved using a fiber orientation factor. Fiber/matrix stress transfer increased with increasing fiber aspect ratio. Stress transfer was reduced with the use of process lubricant. Unexpectedly, the compatibility agent had the same effect. Fiber strength and stiffness contributions to the composite were lower than those of intrinsic fiber properties.     

Effect of chemical modification on the properties of wood/polypropylene composites

对以铝酸酯为偶联剂对木粉进行表面改性处理后制备的木粉/聚丙烯复合材料的力学性能和形态学特征进行了研究。结果表明:铝酸酯偶联剂可以增加木塑复合材料的抗冲击强度,但会对复合材料的抗拉强度和抗弯强度造成负面的影响。对木塑复合材料的动态力学性能和微分扫描热量分析研究表明,以铝酸酯作为偶联剂,对木塑复合材料的储存模量和损失模量有少许增加,同时可降低材料的熔点和熔解热。利用扫描电镜观察木塑复合材料的木材与塑料界面发现,经铝酸酯处理过的木材与聚丙烯复合界面之间具有更好的相容性。这些研究结果表明,在木塑复合材料制造过程中利用廉价的铝酸酯作为木材化学改性剂,对改善复合材料的性质同样起作良好的作用。图6 表2 参16。     

A simple process for electroless plating nickel–phosphorus film on wood veneer

A facile electroless Ni–P plating process for preparing EMI shielding wood-based composite was studied. In the process, the activation was combined with electroless deposition in the plating bath. By a simple and environmentally friendly method, Ni–P film was easily deposited on the surface of birch veneer. The plated specimens were observed by SEM, and it was found that the film is uniform, compact, and continuous. EDS results show that the coating contains 3.32 wt% phosphorus and 96.68 wt% nickel. It is indicated by XRD analysis that the film on birch veneer is crystalline. It is considered that the crystalline structure is related to the lower phosphorus content of the film. It was found that the birch veneer plated with crystalline Ni–P coating has better electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding performance.     

Chemical characterization of smoke from the production process of wood-plastic composites

The chemical composition of unpleasant smell, emitted from the production process of wood-plastic composites using Manchurian ash sawdust (Fraxinus mandschurica Rupr.) and polypropylene powder as the raw material, was investigated. Wood sawdust and polypropylene powder were subjected to heat treatment to 290°C during 8 min (the conditions were similar to those employed on an industrial scale). The emitted compounds were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The analytical r...     

Using master curves based on time–temperature superposition principle to predict creep strains of wood–plastic composites

To verify master curves obtained based on time–temperature superposition principle for wood–plastic composites (WPCs), a 220-day long-term creep test was conducted under an unconditioned environment. In this study, WPCs were made by extrusion with various formulations; using mountain pine beetle-attacked lodgepole pine flour and high-density polyethylene as raw materials, as well as maleated polypropylene as coupling agent. The results showed that the effect of naturally elevated temperature during the summer months caused additional increases in creep strain. The information obtained from the conventional creep study method may be insufficient to reflect the practical application. Comparisons between long-term data and the master curves showed that the master curves tended to overestimate the real creep strain of large specimens and that the deviation increased with time. The prediction of the master curve agreed more reasonably with the long-term data for coupled WPC products, whereas the master curves showed considerable overestimation for the uncoupled ones. In general, the master curves cannot precisely predict the long-term creep strain, but merely provide conservative estimations.     

A critical discussion of the physics of wood–water interactions

This paper reviews recent findings on wood–water interaction and puts them into context of established knowledge in the field. Several new findings challenge prevalent theories and are critically discussed in an attempt to advance current knowledge and highlight gaps. The focus of this review is put on water in the broadest concept of wood products, that is, the living tree is not considered. Moreover, the review covers the basic wood–water relation, states and transitions. Secondary effects such as the ability of water to alter physical properties of wood are only discussed in cases where there is an influence on state and/or transition.     

Comparison of water absorption and mechanical properties of wood–plastic composites made from polypropylene and polylactic acid

Abstract

This study focuses on the water absorption and mechanical properties of composites made from softwood sawdust and plastics, such as virgin and recycled polypropylene and polylactic acid (PLA). The composites were processed by extrusion, and their properties were investigated by a water immersion test, mechanical tests and a cyclic test for moisture resistance. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology of the fracture surfaces of the composites. The composites made with recycled polypropylene had the lowest water absorption and thickness swelling of the studied composites. The PLA composites made with heat-treated sawdust showed the highest flexural strength. Of the polypropylene based composites, virgin polypropylene resulted in composites with higher flexural strength. The Charpy impact strength of the composites was found to have an inverse trend compared to flexural strength. Cyclic treatment of the studied composites resulted in 20–60% loss of flexural strength, depending on type of composite.     

Evaluation of Tsai–Wu criterion and Hankinson's formula for a Brazilian wood species by comparison with experimental off-axis strength tests

Abstract

This article presents a study based on the Tsai–Wu failure criterion as well as Hankinson's formula that evaluates the off-axis strength of wood. For materials such as wood, the strengths are a function of the grain orientation and also are different in compression and tension for the same direction. By considering this anisotropic behaviour, the failure criterion of the Tsai–Wu was adopted in this work. To establish this criterion, the strengths were determined from compressive and tensile tests as well as shear and biaxial compressive tests. In addition, off-axis uniaxial tests were performed, and the experimental results were compared with those obtained by the discussed criteria. In these tests, specimens of Goupia glabra-Brazilian wood species were used. This study's most important conclusion was: the predictive ability of the Tsai–Wu criterion was close to that of Hankinson's formula and fits the experimental results of the compressive and tensile tests well.     

Chemical modification of simul wood with styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer and organically modified nanoclay

Simul wood (Salmalia malabarica) was chemically modified by treatment with styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN), glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), and organically modified nanoclay. The physical properties of wood polymer composites (WPC) were improved due to the addition of GMA and nanoclay. XRD analysis indicated a decrease in crystallinity in WPC. FTIR study confirmed the presence of clay in WPC. The presence of clay in cell lumen and cell wall was evidenced by SEM study. WPC containing lower percentage of clay showed better thermal stability compared to WPC loaded with higher percentage of clay.     

Deriving the mean mass–density trajectory by reconciling the competition–density effect law with the self-thinning law in even-aged pure stands

The competition–density (C–D) effect law refers to the relationship between mean mass w and density ρ at a particular moment among a set of tree populations grown at a wide range of densities. The self-thinning law refers to the time trajectory of w and ρ in overcrowded stands. Because these two laws have not yet been theoretically harmonised, the aim of this paper is to achieve the unification of the two laws. Under the assumption that the reciprocal equation of the C–D effect in self-thinning stands and the self-thinning equation both hold, the slope of the reciprocal equation becomes the same as that of the self-thinning equation on logarithmic scales as the growth stage progresses. Finally, the reciprocal equation is converted to the w–ρ trajectory, eliminating the biological time from the reciprocal equation. The w–ρ trajectory of stands starting with any initial density has thus been explicitly formulated. Larger values of the relative mortality rate play an important role in relieving the C–D effect and cause the w–ρ trajectory to approach the self-thinning line at an earlier stage of growth. Stands exponentially decreasing in number obey the self-thinning law after a sufficient lapse of biological time, irrespective of their initial densities. Unknown functions, such as the survivorship curve and the ceiling biomass, have been explicitly represented as a function of biological time. The approximate expression for the w–ρ trajectory suitably mimics the time trajectory of mean stem and density in an eastern pine plantation.     

Effects of wood species,particle sizes and dimensions of residue obtained from trimming of wood–cement composites on physical and mechanical properties of cement-bonded particleboard

Abstract

The present work was conducted to study the effects of wood species, particle size and residue particle size obtained from trimming of wood–cement composites on physical and mechanical properties of cement-bonded particleboard (CBPB). Particleboard was manufactured with a wood/cement ratio of 1:3 and specific gravity 1200 kg m^?3. After manufacturing, the boards were tested. The second order plan was used to test the significant difference between factors and levels. It was shown that slenderness and compaction ratio increased and bulk density and specific surface decreased with the increase of particle size. With the increase in slenderness ratio and compaction ratio and decrease in bulk density and specific surface, thickness swelling and mechanical properties improved, but water absorption by the board increased. The addition of 6% of 5/3 fraction size of particle obtained from trimming of boards improved significantly the properties of the boards. The optimized panel properties, obtained using poplar particles with a fraction size of 7pass/on5, exceeded the BISON type HZ and EN Standard for Wood Particleboard. CBPB made of alder or poplar particles with 5/3 fraction size of residue exceeded the BISON type HZ. All CBPB with 5/3 fraction size of residue showed lower mean values of thickness swelling, well below the maximum requirements of both standards. In addition, wood species, fraction size of particles and residue size are believed to have been the main cause of change in the properties of the boards.     

Mechanical properties of kenaf fiber–cement composites containing kenaf gamma-ray grafted with acrylamide

Kenaf fibers have excellent properties and possess the potential to be outstanding reinforcing fillers in cement. The grafting of acrylamide to kenaf fibers is important in improving the compatibility between the fibers and the cement. Acrylamide was grafted onto kenaf fibers using gamma-ray radiation. The radiation dose ranged from 20 to 100 kGy, and the dose rate was 10 kGy/h. The degree of grafting increased with increased radiation doses. FT-IR analysis revealed an increase in amide content after gamma-ray-radiation-induced grafting, further evincing the attachment of acrylamide to the kenaf fibers. SEM images showed evidence of acrylamide grafting to the fiber surface. Contact angle measurements on individual fibers taken before and after grafting demonstrated changes in wettability. The mechanical properties of the gamma-ray-grafted kenaf fiber–cement composites were superior to those of the ungrafted kenaf fiber–cement specimens.