Mechanical and thermal properties of polystyrene and medium density fiberboard composites

Abstract Virgin polystyrene (PS) composites were reinforced with medium density fiberboard (MDF) residue, considering the influence of fiber content. The composites were evaluated for their morphology, identification of functional groups and thermal behavior. Mechanical tests and a degradation study under ultraviolet radiation (UV) were also performed. The results showed that the best properties were obtained for composites with 4% by mass of MDF waste. The addition of residue was found to increase thermal stability of polystyrene compared to its pure form. The morphology of the composites showed homogeneity of the material. In the degradation tests under ultraviolet (UV) radiation, it was found that the presence of MDF residue slows down the matrix degradation process when evaluated by means of tensile strength. Polystyrene composites reinforced with MDF residues showed good mechanical properties and can be applied in the development of materials that do not need a good appearance.