Abstract
The interest in lignocellulosic composites has been growing in recent years because of their specific properties. In this study, a new technique of wood treatment using γ-irradiation was used. This research focuses on the influence of the gamma irradiation on the chemical composition of wood and on the nucleation ability of polypropylene matrice. The inner morphology of the transcrystalline layer was investigated using hot stage optical microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate the kinetic parameters of polypropylene crystallization in the presence of wood surface. The results showed that the gamma irradiation can decrease the content of the cellulose in the wood, but it has a slightly negative effect on the transcrystallization process of polypropylene. This treatment also affects the crystal conversion and the half-time of PP crystallization. These results suggested that the gamma irradiation of wood may play a useful role in changing the microstructure of the matrice near the wood. It was observed that the nucleation of the wood surface was selective, indicating that the chemical characteristics of the lignocellulosics might have influence on the polypropylene crystallization. A possible mechanism for the appearance of transcrystallinity involving chemical composition of lignocellulosic is also proposed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bledzki AK, Letman M, Viksne A, Rence L. A comparison of compounding processes and wood type for wood fibre—PP composites. Composites A. 2005;36:789–97.
Schirp A, Wolcott MP. Influence of fungal decay and moisture absorption on mechanical properties of extruded wood-plastic composites. Wood Fiber Sci. 2005;37:643–52.
Bouza R, Marco C, Martin Z, Gomez MA, Ellis G, Barral L. Dynamic crystallization of polypropylene and wood-based composites. J Appl Polym Sci. 2006;102:6028–36.
Ng ZS, Simon LC, Elkamel A. Renewable agricultural fibres as reinforcing fillers in plastics. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2009;96:85–90.
Danyadi L, Janecska T, Szabo Z, Nagy G, Moczo J, Pukanszky B. Wood flour filled PP composites: compatibilization and adhesion. Compos Sci Technol. 2007;67:2838–46.
Maldas D, Kokta BV. Interfacial adhesion of lignocellulosic materials in polymer composites: an overview. Compos Interfaces. 1993;1:87–108.
Kazayawoko M, Balatinecz JJ, Matuana LM. Surface modification and adhesion mechanisms in woodfiber-polypropylene composites. J Mater Sci. 1999;34:6189–99.
Qin T, Huang L, Li G. Effect of chemical modification on the properties of wood/polypropylene composites. J For Res. 2005;16:241–4.
Hill CAS. Wood modification: chemical, thermal and other processes. New York: Wiley; 2006.
Rowell RM. Chemical modification. In: Burley J, Evans J, Youngquist J, editors. Encyclopedia of forest sciences. Oxford: Elsevier Academic Press; 2004. p. 1269–74.
Marcovich NE, Aranguren MI, Reboredo MM. Modified woodflour as thermoset fillers Part. I. Effect of the chemical modification and percentage of filler on the mechanical properties. Polymer. 2001;42:815–25.
Yang HS, Gardner DJ, Kim HJ. Viscoelastic and thermal analysis of lignocellulosic material filled polypropylene bio-composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2009;98:553–8.
Kaith BS, Singha AS, Kumar S, Kalia S. Mercerization of flax fiber improves the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced composites. Int J Polym Mater. 2008;57:54–72.
Bouza R, Marco C, Ellis G, Martin Z, Gomez MA, Barral L. Analysis of the isothermal crystallization of polypropylene/wood flour composites. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2008;94:119–27.
Gray DG. Transcrystallization of polypropylene at cellulose nanocrystal surfaces. Cellulose. 2008;15:297–301.
Lenes M, Gregersen OW. Effect of surface chemistry and topography of sulphite fibres on the transcrystallinity of polypropylene. Cellulose. 2006;13:345–55.
Chatterjee AM, Price FP. Heterogeneous nucleation of crystallization of high polymers from the melt I. Substrate-induced morphologies. J Polym Sci Phys Ed. 1975;13:2369–83.
Wang C, Liu CR. Transcrystallization of polypropylene composites: nucleating ability of fibres. Polymer. 1999;40:289–98.
Thomason JL, Van Rooyen AA. Transcrystallized interphase in thermoplastic composites. Part I. Influence of fibre type and crystallization temperature. J Mater Sci. 1992;27:889–96.
Campbell D, Quayyum MM. Melt crystallization of polypropylene: effect of contact with fiber substrates. J Polym Sci Phys Ed. 1980;18:83–93.
Arroyo M, Lopez-Manchado MA, Avalos F. Crystallization kinetics of polypropylene: II. Effect of the addition of short glass fibers. Polymer. 1997;38:5587–93.
Cai Y, Petermann J, Wittich H. Transcrystallization in fiber-reinforced isotactic polypropylene composites in a temperature gradient. J Appl Polym Sci. 1997;65:67–75.
Li H, Liu J, Wang D, Yan S. A comparison study on the homogeneity and heterogeneity fiber induced crystallization of isotactic polypropylene. Colloid Polym Sci. 2003;281:973–9.
Varga J, Karger-Kocsis J. Rules of supermolecular structure formation in sheared isotactic polypropylene melts. J Polym Sci. 1996;34:657–70.
Felix JM, Gatenholm P. Effect of transcrystalline morphology on interfacial adhesion in cellulose/polypropylene composites. J Mater Sci. 1994;29:3043–9.
Zafeiropoulos NE, Baillie CA, Matthews FL. A study of transcrystallinity and its effect on the interface in flax fibre reinforced composite materials. Composites A. 2001;32:525–43.
Gray DG. Polypropylene transcrystallization at the surface of cellulose fibres. Polym Lett Ed. 1974;12:509–15.
Lotz B, Wittman JC. Structural relationships in blends of isotactic polypropylene and polymers with aliphatic sequences. J Polym Sci Polym Phys. 1986;24:1559–75.
Borysiak S. Determination of nucleation ability of wood for non-isothermal crystallisation of polypropylene. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2007;88:455–62.
Borysiak S, Doczekalska B. The influence of chemical modification of wood on its nucleation ability in polypropylene composites. Polimery. 2009;54:820–7.
Bhuiyan MTR, Hirai N, Sobue N. Effect of intermittent heat treatment on crystallinity in wood cellulose. J Wood Sci. 2001;47:336–41.
Prosiński S. Wood chemistry. Warsaw: PWRiS; 1969.
Goto T, Harada H, Saiki H. Fine structure of gamma irradiated tracheid wall in Picea abies. Bull Kyoto Univ For. 1974;46:153–61.
Antoine RC, Avella T, Van Eyseren JC. Studies of wood treated by high doses of γ-radiation. IAWA Bull. 1971;4:11–6.
Kasprzyk H, Wichlacz K, Borysiak S. The effect of gamma radiation on the supramolecular structure of pine wood cellulose in situ revealed by X-ray diffraction. EJPAU: Wood Technol. 2004;7:1–10.
Folkes MJ, Hardwick T. The molecular weight dependence of transcrystallinity in fibre reinforced thermoplastics. J Mater Sci Lett. 1984;3:1071–3.
Huson MG, McGill WJ. Transcrystallinity in polypropylene. J Polym Sci Polym Chem Ed. 1984;22:3571–81.
Turnbull D, Vonnegut B. Nucleation catalysis. Ind Eng Chem. 1952;44:1292–8.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by University Grant of Poznan University of Technology 32-171/10-DS.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Borysiak, S. A study of transcrystallinity in polypropylene in the presence of wood irradiated with gamma rays. J Therm Anal Calorim 101, 439–445 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-010-0780-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-010-0780-2