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Preliminary study of the stiffness enhancement of wood–plastic composites using carbon nanofibers

Orientierende Untersuchungen zur Verbesserung der Steifigkeit von Holz-Kunststoff-Verbundwerkstoffen mittels Kohle-Nanofasern

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Abstract

Vapor-grown carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were compounded into polypropylene (PP) with southern pine wood flour (WF) by high shear melt blending to investigate the reinforcement effects of CNFs on the stiffness of conventional wood flour/plastic composites. CNF loadings of 1, 2 and 5 parts by weight per 100 parts of PP were employed with three WF levels (20, 40 and 60 parts). Maleated polypropylene (MAPP) was used as a coupling agent to improve WF to PP compatibility. The incorporation of CNFs significantly increased the modulus of elasticity of these nanocomposites with MAPP addition. The presence of 0.61 wt % of CNF within a 36.6%WF/1.83%MAPP/61%PP composite exhibited a modulus (7590 MPa) that was 59% greater than its counterpart without CNF (36.8%WF/1.84%MAPP/61.4%PP) (4783 MPa) and 90% greater than pure PP. The origin of this enhancement is not yet understood.

Zusammenfassung

Gaserzeugte Kohle-Nanofasern (CNFs) wurden in einem Schmelz-Mischverfahren unter Aufbringung hoher Scherkräfte in eine Polypropylen (PP)-Southern Pine Holzmehl (WF)-Matrix eingebracht, um zu untersuchen, in welchem Umfang durch CNFs die Steifigkeit herkömmlicher Holzmehl-Plastik-Verbundstoffe erhöht werden kann. 1, 2 und 5 Masseanteile CNF pro 100 Teile PP wurden mit 20, 40 und 60 Masseanteilen Holzmehl vermischt. Maleiertes Polypropylen (MAPP) wurde als Bindemittel zur Verbesserung des WF-PP-Verbunds verwendet. Durch die Beimischung von CNFs wurde der E-Modul dieser Nano-Verbundstoffe mit beigemengtem MAPP deutlich erhöht. 0.61% Masseanteile CNF in einem Verbundwerkstoff mit 36.5%WF/1,83%MAPP/61%PP ergaben einen E-Modul von 7590 MPa, welcher im Vergleich zu einer Probe ohne CNF (36,8%WF/1,84%MAPP/61.4%PP) um 59% höher war (4783 MPa) sowie um 90% höher als reines PP. Die Ursache dieser Erhöhung ist noch unklar.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest Products, Mississippi State University, 100 Blackjack Road, 39759, Starkville, Mississippi, USA

    Junli Shi, Jilei Zhang, Charles U. Pittman Jr., Hossein Toghiani & Yubin (Anna) Xue

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  1. Junli Shi
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  2. Jilei Zhang
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  3. Charles U. Pittman Jr.
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  4. Hossein Toghiani
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  5. Yubin (Anna) Xue
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Correspondence to Jilei Zhang.

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Shi, J., Zhang, J., Pittman, C.U. et al. Preliminary study of the stiffness enhancement of wood–plastic composites using carbon nanofibers . Holz Roh Werkst 66, 313–322 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-008-0261-5

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