Effect of Wood Particle Size on Physical and Mechanical Composites by Nonwoven Web Process

This study was carried out to discuss the feasibility of wood and plastic wastes as the raw materials for wood particle-plastic composites. For this purpose, composites were manufactured from coarse and fine wood particles and polypropylene fibers by nonwoven web process. And the effect of wood particle size on the performance of the composites were analyzed according to ASTM D 1037-93. In the physical properties of composites, water absorption decreased with the increase of target density and polypropylene fiber content. And the composites with fine wood particles appeared to have slightly lower water absorption than those with coarse wood particles. Thickness swelling did not vary significantly with the increase of target density but increased with the increase of wood particle content. And the composites with fine wood particles were significantly lower in thickness swelling than those with coarse wood particles. In the mechanical properties of composites, dry and wet MOR showed the increasing tendency with the increase of polypropylene fiber content and target density. Dry and wet MOE showed the increasing tendency with the increase of target density but only wet MOE exhibited the increasing tendency with the increase of polypropylene fiber content. Composites with fine wood particles appeared to be generally higher in wet MOR and MOE than those with coarse wood particles. In conclusion, composites with fine wood particles showed generally higher performance than those with coarse ones. Also, composites were significantly superior to control particleboards in the performance, especially in water absorption and thickness swelling.