Corn gluten meal (CGM)/wood fiber composites, plasticized by glycerol, water and ethanol, were extruded into pellets, and then the pellets were compression-molded into sheets for evaluation of water resistance, thermal stability and morphology. Pellets were also injection-molded to prepare plant pots for developing low cost, biodegradable containers used in agriculture. Ethanol played an important role for preparing homogeneous pellets under a condition of low specific mechanical energy. Extrusion, compression and injection-molding showed a similar trend that melt viscosity increased with the increasing wood fiber content and with decreasing water content. The trend led to a decrease in melt fluidity. The acceptable injection molding temperature range is from 125 to 160 °C, depending on the water content and wood fiber content in the pellets. Flexural strength of molded sheets was improved by 10-30% wood fiber but reduced by 40-50% wood fiber, which was a result of a change in the breaking mechanism. Visual observations showed that fracture occurred in matrix for sheets with low fiber content but in the interface for high fiber content composite. The former breaking mechanism can improve composite strength but the latter cannot. Compression-molded sheets and injection-molded pots showed a medium water resistance, suggesting possible commercial potential.
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