Effect of Wood Flour Content on the Hardness and Water Uptake of Thermoplastic Polymer Composites

Polypropylene/wood flour composites were melting compounded in an internal mixer at 190°C and 60 rpm rotor speed and then samples were fabricated by injection molding. Effects wood flour content on the physical properties of composites was investigated. For this purpose, hardness, water absorption and thickness swelling of samples was determined at different levels of wood flour content. The results indicated that the hardness of composites increased with increasing of wood flour content. Also, with increasing of wood flour loading the water absorption and thickness swelling of wood plastic composites increased. It seems that the physical properties of the polypropylene/wood flour composites will be improved by increasing addition of coupling agent.