Investigation on the uniformity of high-density polyethylene/wood fiber composites in a twin-screw extruder

✍ Scribed by Jingjing Zhang; Chul B. Park; Ghaus M. Rizvi; Hanxiong Huang; Qingping Guo

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 826 KB
• Volume: 113
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.29991

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Uniform dispersion of wood fiber in high‐density polyethylene can improve the mechanical properties and surface finish of the wood plastic composites. However, it is difficult to achieve uniform dispersion when the wood content is high, due to its low thermal stability, incompatibility with polymer, and affinity for agglomeration. This work was undertaken to improve the uniformity of high‐density polyethylene/wood composites by designing screw configurations, optimizing screw speed, and altering material compositions. The rheological properties and scanning electron microscope micrograph were used to characterize the uniformity. The results showed that the medium dispersive and distributive mixing, medium screw speed, and lubricant were all beneficial in improving uniformity. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009