Silane-crosslinking efficiency in wood-polyethylene composites [Elektronisk resurs] study of different polyethylenes

• The objective of this work was to examine how the moisture content of wood flour affects the degree of crosslinking during the fabrication of silane-crosslinked wood-thermoplastic composites. Crosslinked composites were produced by adding a silane solution to the compounding process of wood flour and polyethylene. Crosslinked composites of pre-dried as well as non-dried wood flour were prepared and their degree of crosslinking at various storage conditions was determined. Mechanical properties and the creep response of the crosslinked composites were tested in order to establish structure-properties relations. The results showed that all crosslinked composites displayed higher strengths and significantly lower creep responses as opposed a non-crosslinked control sample. However, the degree and rate of crosslinking proved to be lower when a larger amount of moisture was present in the compounding process. It was concluded that the silane-grafting yield was lower when wood flour of a higher moisture content was used, and a possible reason for this was that the radicals necessary for grafting the silanes to the polyethylene had been consumed in the process. 

Ämnesord

Engineering and Technology  (hsv)

Industrial Biotechnology  (hsv)

Bio Materials  (hsv)

Teknik och teknologier  (hsv)

Industriell bioteknik  (hsv)

Biomaterial  (hsv)

Trä och bionanokompositer  (ltu)

Wood and Bionanocomposites  (ltu)