The long-term performance of wood-polymer composites (WPC) under severe weather conditions is not well known. This study evaluates the changes in physical and mechanical properties of three commercially available WPC and treated southern yellow pine (SYP) under a modified 6-cycle accelerated aging process. The accelerated aging causes warping, splitting, discoloration, and significant changes in physical and mechanical properties of SYP. The compressive and flexural strength of the WPCs show negligible changes whereas stiffness, hardness, and screw withdrawal force show considerable deterioration and some recovery during accelerated aging. The composition and manufacturing process influence the performance of WPC under accelerated aging.
Gauthier, R. (1998). Interfaces in Polyolefin/Cellulosic Fiber Composites: Chemical Coupling, Morphology, Correlation with Adhesion and Aging in Moisture, Polymer Composites, 19(3): 287-300.
2.
Faulk, R.H., Vos, D. and Cramer, S.M. (1999). The Comparative Performance of Woodfiber-Plastic and Wood-based Panels, Proc. of the Fifth International Conference on Woodfiber-Plastic Composites, pp. 269-274, Forest Product Society, Madison, WI.
3.
The Freedonia Group, Inc. (2006). 2005 Wood and Competitive Decking Study, Jan-Feb 2006 Issue, Professional Deck Builder, Williston, VT.
4.
Faulk, R.H., Lundin, T. and Felton, C. (2000). The Effect of Weathering on Wood-thermoplastic Composites Intended for Outdoor Applications, In: Proc. of the 2nd Annual Conference on Durability and Disaster Mitigation in Wood-Frame Housing, pp. 175-179, Forest Product Society, Madison, WI.
5.
Maldas, D. and Kokta, B.V. (1989). The Effect of Aging Conditions on the Mechanical Properties of Wood Fiber-polystyrene CompositesI. Chemithermomechanical Pulp as a Reinforcing Filler, Composite Science and Technology, 36: 167-182.
6.
Raj, R.G. (1989). Performance of PP-wood Composite Materials Subjected to Extreme Conditions, Proc. of the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials, Science and Engineering, 60: 690-694.
7.
Caraschi, J.C. and Leao, A.L. (2002). Woodflour as Reinforcement of Polypropylene, Materials Research, 5(4): 405-409.
8.
Panthapulakkal, S., Law, S. and Sain, M. (2006). Effect of Water Absorption, Freezing and Thawing, and Photo-aging on Flexural Properties of Extruded HDPE/rice Husk Composites, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 100(5): 3619-3625.
9.
Pilarski, J.M. and Matuana, L.M. (2005). Durability of Wood Flour-plastic Composites Exposed to Accelerated Free-thaw Cycling, Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology, 11(1): 1-8.
10.
Selden, R., Nystrom, B. and Langstrom, R. (2004). UV Aging of Poly(propylene)/WoodFiber Composites , Polymer Composite, 25(5): 543-552.
11.
Cantero, G. (2003). Mechanical Behavior of Wood/Polypropylene Composites: Effects of Fibre Treatments and Aging Processes , Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 22(1): 37-50.
12.
Chow, P., Janowiak, J.J. and Price, E.W. (2007). The Internal Bond and Shear Strength of Hardwood Veneered Particleboard Composites, Wood and Fiber Science , 18(1): 99-106.
13.
Kajita, H., Mukudai, J. and Yano, H. (2004). Durability Evaluation of Particleboards by Accelerated Aging Tests, Wood Science and Technology, 25(3): 239-249.
14.
Anton-Prinet, C., Mur, G., Gay, M., Audouin, L. and Verdu, J. (1999). Change of Mechanical Properties of Rigid Poly(vinylchloride) During Photochemical Ageing, Journal of Materials Sciences, 34(2): 379-384.
