Compatibility and mechanical properties of maleicanhydride modified the wood plastic composite

Abstract

Wood plastic composite, known as green composite, combines natural vegetable fibers and plastic and thus acquires the properties of both. In this study, coir was subject to alkali treatment to eliminate pectin, hemicelluloses, fat and impurities. Alkali treatment reduces the weight of coir and the greater the concentration and longer the alkali treatment time, the greater is the loss of coir fibers. This study uses coir fibers and polypropylene to make wood plastic composite. Alkali treatment can increase the mechanical property of the resulting wood plastic composite. In particular, the optimum parameters of the treatment are 17.5 wt% for 1 h. As is demonstrated by scanning electron microscope images, methylmaleic anhydride-graft-polypropylene improves the interface binding force between the coir and polypropylene.