Open Access

ARTICLE

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties and Durability Performance of HDPE-Wood Composites

M. Tazi¹, F. Erchiqui^1,*, F.Godard¹, H. Kaddami²

1 Engineering Department, Université de Quebec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada
2 University Caddi Ayyad Marrakech, Laboratory ‘LCO2MC’, B.P. 549, Marrakech 40000, Morocco

* Corresponding Author:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2014, 2(4), 258-263. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2014.634120

Received 08 August 2014; Accepted 02 November 2014;

Abstract

This article evaluates the mechanical properties and biodegradability of wood-plastic composite materials made from sawdust and thermoplastic polymer (HDPE). For the preparation of the composites, sawdust in different proportions with Maleic Anhydride grafted Polyethylene (MAPE) as the coupling agent was used. The mechanical properties and biodegradability of the biocomposites were successively characterized. The results indicate that adding sawdust particles to a polymer matrix improves the mechanical strength and stiffness of composites. The tensile strength of a composite with 3% coupling agent was improved by 13%, 34% and 54% respectively when 20%, 30% and 40% wood fi llers were added to the polymer matrix. Furthermore, resistance to fungi attacks decreased. The biodegradability of biocomposites up to 97 days indicates that, by increasing the sawdust content, the amount of weight loss increased as well. Also, it has been found that the microbial effects were more important in the case of composite with high wood-fi ller content and without MAPE. The maximum weight loss was estimated to be equal to 1.67%, corresponding to the high wood content composite of HDP-40% wood without MAPE. In other words, even though the addition of sawdust to polymer improves the mechanical performance of a composite material, it also accelerates the biodegradation rate. An optimum amount of sawdust content might compromise the effect of the biodegradation and mechanical properties of composite materials.

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Keywords

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