Wood pulp fibers possess strength and modulus properties which compare favorably with glass fibers when the differences in fiber densities are considered. Softwood pulp fibers with fiber aspect ratios near 100 are readily dispersed into highdensity polyethylene or isotactic polypropylene with the aid of carboxyic dispersing agents to form mixtures containing 50 weight-percent wood pulp which can be readily injection molded. The mechanical properties of the molded specimens were similar for all types of pulp including Kraft (bleached and unbleached), mechanical and chemical-mechanical pulps, waste pulps, and reclaim newspapers. Comparisons of the stiffness/weight efficiencies revealed that pulp composites equal or exceed the stiffness of most traditional materials of construction including steel, aluminum, glass-fiber composites, and talcfilled polyolefins, while retaining a major material cost advantage. The measured strength values of the pulp composites were less than the theoretically predicted values due to the presence of voids created by the formation of volatiles during processing. Mechanical pulps which were available in dry form were preferred because of lower cost and ease of handling. Wood fibers are non-abrasive so that relatively large concentrations may be incorporated into polyolefins without causing serious machine wear during mixing and fabrication.

The surface properties at the interface between thermoplastic and cellulosic fibers strongly influence the mechanical properties of plastic/cellulosic fiber composites. This paper examines the role of surface acid‐base properties of plasticized PVC and cellulosic fibers on the mechanical properties of the composites. The acid‐base surface characteristics of cellulosic fibers were modified by treating the fibers with γ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (A‐1100), dichlorodiethylsilane, phthalic anhydride, and maleated polypropylene. The empirical acid (KA) and base (KD) characteristics (i.e., electron donor/acceptor abilities) of untreated and treated fibers, as well as plasticized PVC, were determined using inverse gas chromatography (IGC) technique. These parameters were used to yield information on the acid‐base pair interactions that were correlated with the tensile and notched Izod impact properties of the composites. Acid‐base pair interactions have been found to be a valuable parameter in the design of surface modification strategies intended to optimize the tensile strength of the composites. By tailoring the acid‐base characteristics of cellulosic fibers and plasticized PVC, a composite with equal tensile strength and greater modulus than unfilled PVC was developed. However, the acid‐base factors did not correlate with tensile modulus, the elongation at break, and the notched Izod impact property of PVC/newsprint fiber composites. Aminosilane has been observed to be a suitable adhesion promoter for PVC/wood composites improving significantly the tensile strength of the composites. Other treatments (dichlorodiethylsilane, phtalic anhydride, and maleated polypropylene) were found to be ineffective, giving similar strength compared to the composites with untreated cellulosic fibers. FTIR spectroscopy results suggested that aminosilane was effective because treated cellulosic fibers can react with PVC to form chemical bonds. The resulting bond between PVC and cellulosic fibers accounts for the effectiveness of aminosilane, when compared with other coupling agents.

ABSTRACT:The esterification reaction between wood fibers and maleated polypropylenes was investigated. The reaction was conducted in a reactor in the presence of xylene used as a solvent and sodium hypophosphite as catalyst. The reaction between wood fibers and pure maleic anhydride was also investigated. The appearance of an infrared absorption band near 1730 cm 01 indicated that maleated polypropylene chemically reacted by esterification with bleached Kraft cellulose. However, no direct evidence of an esterification reaction was obtained between thermomechanical pulp and maleated polypropylene. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies showed also that both bleached Kraft cellulose and thermomechanical pulp reacted with maleic anhydride with the formation of ester links.

synopsisA theoretical relationship has been developed which relates the ultimate strength of a composite containing spherical fillers to the size, volume fraction, and surface adhesion of the dispersed phase. The theoretical predictions are compared to experimental data using glass beads of known diameters in polyester resin matrix. Results were compared for the case of poor adhesion between the glass beads and the matrix and for the case of good adhesion. The derived relationships should be useful in helping to optimize the strength properties of particulate reinforced systems.

Two naturally occurring micas, phlogopite and muscovite, were ground and classified according to their average aspect ratios (flake equivalent diameter to thickness ratio). These flakes were then used to reinforce a polystyrene copolymer and a polyester resin. The compression molded test pieces were tested in flexure and the flexural strengths and flexural moduli determined for each aspect ratio. The experimental results indicate a strong dependence of strength and modulus on the flake aspect ratio up to a value of 100–200 for these systems. At high volume fractions, 0.6 to 0.7, high aspect ratio mica composites yielded flexural strengths of 35–45,000 psi with flexural moduli of 10–14 million psi. Notched Izod values were in the range of 0.5–1.4 ft lb per inch of notch. These results were compared with the theoretical treatments of Padawer and Beecher, and Riley.