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ABSTRACT:The mechanical properties of recycled low-density polyethylene/wood flour (LDPE/WF) composites are improved when a maleated triblock copolymer styreneethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS-MA) is added as a compatibilizer. The composites' tensile strength reached a maximum level with 4 wt % SEBS-MA content. The compatibilizer had a positive effect on the impact strength and elongation at break but decreased the composites' stiffness. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), a lap shear adhesion test, and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to investigate the nature of the interfacial adhesion between the WF/SEBS and between the WF/ SEBS-MA. Tan d peak temperatures for the various combinations showed interaction between the ethylene/butylene (EB) part of the copolymer and the wood flour in the maleated system. The shear lap test showed that adhesion between the wood and SEBS-MA is better than between the wood and SEBS. The electron microscopy study of the fracture surfaces confirmed good adhesion between the wood particles and the LDPE/SEBS-MA matrix.

ABSTRACT:A maleic-anhydride-grafted styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS-MA) triblock copolymer has been used as a compatibilizer in low-density polyethylenewood flour (LDPE-WF) composite system. The location of compatibilizer was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The unsaturated parts of the copolymer were stained with osmium tetraoxide (OsO 4 ) to enhance contrast between the different phases. TEM micrographs indicated that part of the compatibilizer was located at the interface between the wood particles and PE matrix and that wood was also stained by the OsO 4 . The nature of the interface between the wood surface and the SEBS-MA was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicated that MA reacts with wood through esterification and hydrogen bonding and also possibly through interaction between the styrene and wood.