Study of UV stability,biodegradability and physical properties of rosin derivative cross-linked wood polymer composites

Abstract

This work deals with the synthesis of biodegradable and UV resistant wood polymer composites (WPCs) via compression moulding technique. As outdoor applications become more widespread, durability becomes an issue. Ultraviolet exposure can lead to photodegradation, which results in a change in appearance and mechanical properties. In this study, we examined the performance of WPCs after UV exposure and microbial attack. The rate of degradation was found to decrease by the addition of a higher percentage of rosin derivatives. The bacterial growth on the samples and morphological features of the bacterial-degraded samples were investigated by UV spectrophotometry and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) study, respectively. The UV-degraded samples were also analysed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and SEM study. It was observed that with the incorporation of 40 wt-% of divinylacrylicpimaric acid (DAPA) significantly improved the UV stability, mechanical, thermal and other physical properties of the WPCs.