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Potassium methyl siliconate‐treated pulp fibers and their effects on wood plastic composites: Water sorption and dimensional stability
Author(s) -
Piao Cheng,
Cai Zhiyong,
Stark Nicole M.,
Monlezun Charles J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.38736
Subject(s) - composite material , materials science , sorption , wood flour , swelling , compatibility (geochemistry) , pulp (tooth) , polyethylene , compression molding , fiber , adsorption , chemistry , dentistry , organic chemistry , mold , medicine
Potassium methyl siliconate (PMS) was investigated as a new nano modifier of wood fiber and wood flour to improve the compatibility between the fiber/flour and the plastic matrix in fiber reinforced plastic composites. Before injection molding, bleached and brown pulp fibers and mixed species wood flour were pretreated in PMS solutions. The morphology of the treated and untreated fiber and flour, the compatibility of PMS‐treated fiber and flour with polyethylene (PE), and the water sorption and volumetric swell of PMS‐treated fiber/flour plastic composites in a long‐term soaking test were evaluated. Fiber and flour treated with PMS increased the compatibility between the fiber/flour and the PE matrix. The increased compatibility of PMS‐treated fiber and flour with the matrix contributed to the reduction of water sorption and, thus, increased dimensional stability. For all composites, water sorption and volumetric swell of fiber/four plastic composites decreased as the ratio of fiber to flour increased. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013