This study investigated the surface roughness and wettability of polypropylene composites filled with Paulownia elongata wood flour with and without maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene at different wood flour contents (30, 40, 50, and 60 wt%). The surface roughness values of the filled polypropylene composites decreased with increasing content of the polypropylene. The polypropylene composites without the maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene were found to have higher surface roughness but better wettability as compared with the ones with the maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene. The wettability of polypropylene composites increased with increasing content of the wood flour. The incorporation of the coupling agent in the polypropylene composites decreased the wettability of the specimens compared with untreated ones. The test result showed that P. elongata wood flour could be utilized in the production of the filled polypropylene composites because of their satisfying surface properties of the composites.
Adhikary KB. Development of wood flour-recycled polymer composite panels as building materials. PhD Thesis, Chemical and Process Engineering University of Canterbury, New Zealand, 2008.
2.
BuyuksariUAyrilmisNAkbulutT. Compression wood as a source of reinforcing filler for thermoplastic composites. J Appl Polym Sci2012; 123: 1740–1745.
3.
AshoriANourbakhshA. Preparation and characterization of polypropylene/wood flour/nanoclay composites. Eur J Wood Prod2011; 69: 663–666.
4.
ClemonsCM. Wood-plastic composites in the United States: the interfacing of two industries. Forest Prod J2002; 52(6): 10–18.
5.
AyrilmisNKaymakciA. Fast growing biomass as reinforcing filler in thermoplastic composites: Paulownia elongata wood. Ind Crop Prod2012; 43: 457–464.
6.
Zahedi M, Tabarsa T, Ashori A, et al. A comparative study on some properties of wood plastic composites using canola stalk, Paulownia and nanoclay. J Appl Polym Sci 2012; In press. Doi: 10.1002/app.38849.
7.
AshoriANourbakhshA. Studies on Iranian cultivated Paulownia–a potential source of fibrous raw material for paper industry. Eur J Wood Prod2009; 67: 323–327.
8.
AkyildizMHKolHS. Some technological properties and uses of Paulownia (Paulownia Tomentosa Stud.) wood. J Environ Biol2010; 31: 351–355.
9.
Kaymakci A. The anatomical, physical and mechanical properties of Paulownia (Paulownia elongata) wood and research on usage areas. MsC Thesis, The Institute of Science of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Turkey, 2010.
10.
AtesSNiYAkgulM. Characterization and evaluation of Paulownia elongata as a raw material for paper production. Afr J Biotechnol2008; 7(22): 4153–4158.
11.
BergmannBA. Propagation method influences first year field survival and growth of Paulownia. New Forests1998; 16: 251–264.
12.
SilvestreAJDEvtuguinDVSousaAPM. Lignans from a hybrid Paulownia wood. Biochem Syst Ecol2005; 33: 1298–1302.
13.
HizirogluSKosonkornP. Evaluation of surface roughness of Thai medium density fiberboard (MDF). Build Environ2006; 41(4): 527–533.
14.
HizirogluSJarusombutiSFueangvivatV. Surface characteristics of wood composites manufactured in Thailand. Build Environ2004; 39: 1359–1364.
15.
RobertsDConstableRC. Chemical coupling agents for filled and grafted polypropylene composites. Handbook of polypropylene and polypropylene composites, New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, 2009, pp. 28–68.
16.
BarkoulaNMGarkhailSKPeijsT. Effect of compounding and injection moulding on the mechanical properties of flax fibre polypropylene composites. J Reinf Plast Compos2010; 29(9): 1366–1385.
17.
BledzkiAKFarukO. Injection moulded microcellular wood fibre-polypropylene composites. Composites Part A Appl Sci Manuf2006; 37(9): 1358–1367.
18.
BledzkiAKGassanJ. Composites reinforced with cellulose based fibers. Prog Polym Sci1999; 24(2): 221–274.
19.
OzdemirTHizirogluSMalkocogluA. Influence of relative humidity on surface quality and adhesion strength of coated medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels. Mater Des2009; 30: 2543–2546.
20.
International ASTM. ASTM D618-08 Practice for conditioning plastics for testing, Conshohocken: ASTM International, 2008.
21.
ISO 4287. Geometrical product specifications (GPS)- surface texture: profile method-terms, definitions, and surface texture parameters. International Standards Organization. 1997.
22.
AyrilmisAKorkutSTanritanirE. Effect of various fire retardants on surface roughness of plywood. Build Environ2006; 41(7): 887–892.
23.
JarusombutiSAyrilmisN. Surface characteristics and overlaying properties of flat-pressed wood plastic composites. Eur J Wood Prod2011; 69: 375–382.
24.
GuptaBSReiniatiILaborieMPG. Surface properties and adhesion of wood fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites. Colloid Surf A2007; 302: 388–395.
25.
OzdemirTMengelogluF. Some properties of composite panels made from wood flour and recycled polyethylene. Int J Mol Sci2008; 9(12): 2559–2569.
26.
AdhikaryKBPangSStaigerMP. Dimensional stability and mechanical behaviour of wood–plastic composites based on recycled and virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Composites, Part B – Eng2008; 39: 807–815.
LuZJWuQMacnabbHS. Chemical coupling in wood fiber and polymer composites: a re-view of coupling agents and treatments. Wood Fiber Sci2000; 32(1): 88–104.
29.
MohebbyBFallah-MoghadamPGhotbifarAR. Influence of Maleic-anhydride-polypropylene (MAPP) on wettability of polypropylene/wood flour/glass fiber hybrid composites. J Agr Sci Technol2011; 13: 877–884.
30.
NjobuenwuDOObohoEOGumusRH. Determination of contact area of liquid droplet spreading on solid substrate. Leonardo Electron J Part Technol2007; 10: 29–38.
31.
Mummery L. Surface texture analysis. The handbook. Muhlhausen, Germany: Hommelwerke, 1993, 106pp.
32.
HizirogluSGrahamM. Effect of press closing time and target thickness on surface roughness of particleboard. Forest Prod J1998; 48(3): 50–5.
33.
HizirogluS. Surface roughness analysis of wood composites: a stylus method. Forest Prod J1996; 46(7/8): 67–72.
34.
MohantyAMisraMDrzalLT. Natural fibers, biopolymers, and biocomposites, Boca Raton, FL: Taylor and Francis, 2005.
35.
AyrilmisNBenthienJTThoemenH. Effects of formulation variables on surface properties of wood plastic composites. Composites Part B– Eng2012; 43: 325–331.
36.
KaymakciAAyrilmisNGulecT. Surface properties and hardness of polypropylene composites filled with sunflower stalk flour. Bioresources2013; 8(1): 592–602.
