| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 821265 | Composites Science and Technology | 2010 | 7 Pages |
High density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) were solution blended by using a mixture of xylene and tetrahydrofuran as solvent and polyethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate (PE-co-GMA) as compatibilizer. The minimum ratio of solvents to obtain a homogenous solution was optimised. Wood polymer composites (WPC) were prepared by using solution blended polymer, wood flour and nanoclay. X-ray diffraction studies of WPC treated with 1 and 3 phr nanoclay showed higher exfoliation compared to WPC treated with 5 phr nanoclay. TEM study also supported the above findings. FTIR studies indicated an interaction between wood, PE-co-GMA and clay. SEM study indicated an increase in miscibility among polymers due to addition of PE-co-GMA as compatibilizer. Thermal stability improved on addition of clay to the WPC. WPC treated with 3 phr clay showed highest mechanical properties. Hardness and water absorption were improved significantly with the addition of nanoclay to wood/polymer composite.
