Improving the properties of wood–plastic composite through addition of hardwood pyrolysis liquid

Abstract

Wood–plastic composites (WPCs) present a class of materials originally developed to decrease the dependency on the mineral oil-based plastics. However, additives and coupling agents incorporated in these composites are usually derived via synthetic routes. The effect of hardwood distillate (HWD) on the properties of WPC was determined by adding various amounts (1–8 wt%) of distillate to a commercial WPC consisting of thermally treated saw dust (Scots pine) in a polypropylene matrix. The distillate was derived by converting hardwood (birch) into several liquid fractions in a two-part slow pyrolysis retort. The certain addition of particular HWD enhanced the tensile and flexural properties of the WPC studied. Furthermore, the water absorption of the samples decreased substantially, up to over 25%. Proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometric analyses indicated that the addition of the distillate increased the emission rates of studied volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but had no considerable effects on the emission rates of VOCs that are harmful for humans. The conversion of the emission rates into real room concentration revealed that guaiacol and monoterpenes exceed their odor thresholds and therefore can be smelled from the WPCs studied. The findings of this study show that this particulate HWD displayed good potential as an ecological additive in WPCs.

Importance of Fiber-/Nanofiller-Based Polymer Composites in Mechanical and Erosion Performance: A Review

“…Wood-plastic composites are a category of materials which have been developed to reduce dependence on mineral oilbased plastics. The effect of the addition of hard wood specific to composites on their flexural properties was studied [50].…”

The Wastes of Vine Stem and Turkish Red Pine as an Alternative Biosorbent for the Removal of Leather Dyes

“…After the production of lumber, high amount of sawdust were generated as a waste. Although there were a couple of study on red pine sawdust such as additional substance for pyrolysis of wood-plastic composite (Vaisanen et al, 2016), sintering performance (Findorak et al, 2014), and usage for biocomposite derived substance (Das et al, 2016), these waste are widely used for solid fuel, animal bedding material. Although various adsorbents were used for removal of the dyestuffs, there has not been any study about the use of the non-modified vine-stem and Turkish red pine sawdust on the remaining dyestuff after the dyeing process of leather industry.…”