A Novel Design for Producing Fine-Celled Foams of Plastic/Wood-Fiber Composites

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghaus M. Rizvi ◽  
Chul B. Park
Keyword(s):  
System Design ◽  
Cell Morphology ◽  
Fiber Composite ◽  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Fiber Composites ◽  
Wood Fibers ◽  
Blowing Agent ◽  
Composite Foams ◽  
Innovative System ◽  
Novel Design

Abstract This paper presents an innovative system design for production of plastic/wood-fiber composite foams based on a chemical blowing agent (CBA). Wood-fiber inherently contains moisture, which adversely affects the foam processing and the resultant cell morphology. To improve the cell morphology, the moisture content in the final foam should be minimized. A novel system design is presented for achieving this goal. Undried wood-fibers were processed together with HDPE, CBA and a coupling agent (CA) in a tandem extrusion system. At the interconnection of the two extruders, a vent was provided to purge the moisture into the atmosphere. HDPE/wood-fiber composite foams were produced on this system and on a single extruder without the vent, for comparison. The cellular morphology and volume expansion ratios of the foamed composites were characterized. The foams produced on the newly developed tandem system exhibited significantly improved cell morphology and surface quality.

scholarly journals Role of Wood Fibers in Tuning Dynamic Rheology, Non-Isothermal Crystallization, and Microcellular Structure of Polypropylene Foams

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongming Song ◽  
Youyong Wang ◽  
Hao Li ◽  
Qiling Zong ◽  
Ailing Xu
Keyword(s):  
Isothermal Crystallization ◽  
Fiber Composite ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Crystallization Rate ◽  
Complex Viscosity ◽  
Expansion Ratio ◽  
Wood Fibers ◽  
Cell Nucleation ◽  
Composite Foams

Microcellular polypropylene (PP)/wood fiber composite foams were fabricated via batch foaming assisted by supercritical CO2 (scCO2). Effects of wood fibers on rheology, crystallization, and foaming behaviors of PP were comprehensively investigated. The obtained results showed that the incorporation of wood fibers increased the complex viscosity and the storage modulus of the PP matrix. Jeziorny’s model for non-isothermal crystallization kinetics indicated that wood fibers did not change the crystal growth. However, the crystallization rate of the PP matrix was decreased to a certain extent with increasing wood fiber loadings. The wood fiber exerts a noticeable role in improving the cell density and reducing the cell size, despite decreasing the expansion ratio. Interestingly, a “small-sized cells to large-sized cells” gradient cell structure was found around the wood fibers, implying cell nucleation was induced at the interface between wood fiber and PP matrix. When wood fiber loadings were specifically increased, a desirable microcellular structure was obtained. However, further increasing the wood fiber loadings deteriorated the cell structure. Moreover, the crystallinity of the composite foams initially decreased and then slightly increased with increasing wood fiber loadings, while the crystal size decreased.

Effect of wood fibers on the rheological properties of i-PP/wood fiber composites

2003 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 644-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. N. Maiti ◽  
R. Subbarao ◽  
Mohd. Nordin Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Rheological Properties ◽  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Fiber Composites ◽  
Wood Fibers

Foaming of PPC/Wood Fiber Composite Using Moisture Contained in Wood as Blowing Agent

2013 ◽  
Vol 415 ◽  
pp. 631-635
Author(s):  
Li Tao Guan ◽  
Chong Ling Yang ◽  
Na Xin Yuan ◽  
Di Wu Xie
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Fiber Composite ◽  
Orthogonal Design ◽  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Fiber Content ◽  
Foam Density ◽  
Blowing Agent ◽  
Die Temperature ◽  
The Relationship

The processing of PPC/wood fiber foam composites using moisture as blowing agent was studied in this manuscript. Three important factors, such as: moisture content, wood fiber content and extruder die temperature were investigated with orthogonal design. The relationship between each factor and foam density was revealed, as well as the foaming mechanism was obtained.

Processing and cell morphology relationships for microcellular foamed PVC/wood-fiber composites

1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
pp. 1137-1147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent M. Matuana ◽  
Chul B. Park ◽  
John J. Balatinecz
Keyword(s):  
Cell Morphology ◽  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Fiber Composites

Foaming of PS/wood fiber composites using moisture as a blowing agent

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 2124-2132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghaus Rizvi ◽  
Laurent M. Matuana ◽  
Chul B. Park
Keyword(s):  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Fiber Composites ◽  
Blowing Agent

Friction and Wear Behavior of POM Composites Filled with LDPE and Wood Fibers

2011 ◽  
Vol 415-417 ◽  
pp. 293-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Han Xiang ◽  
Ding Han Xiang ◽  
Wei Fang ◽  
Jiao Ling Ma
Keyword(s):  
Friction And Wear ◽  
Wear Behavior ◽  
Fiber Composite ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Wood Fiber ◽  
Wood Fibers ◽  
Wear Process ◽  
Ldpe Composites ◽  
Wear Tests ◽  
Friction And Wear Tests

Polyoxymethylene (POM) composites filled with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and wood fibers were prepared by injection-molding. Friction and wear tests were carried out in a reciprocating sliding tribotester. Results showed that 5wt.%LDPE acted effectively as the internal lubricant for POM. Further addition of the wood fiber increased the wear rate of the POM/LDPE composites but had little effect on the coefficient of coefficient in the presence of LDPE. SEM observations showed that the main wear mechanism for unfilled POM was adhesive wear, while in the case of POM composites abrasion and fatigue seemed to govern the wear process. It was suggested that, the POM/LDPE/Wood fiber composite, which is low-cost and environmentally friendly, has the potential for tribological applications.

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