Analysis of the Nucleation Activity of Wood Fillers for Green Polymer Composites

In this work, the surface of pine wood used as a filler in polypropylene/wood composites was successfully modified by the mercerization process. It is a very significant process because it removes low-molecular components, which improves interactions between the filler and matrix and leads to a better dispersion of the filler in the matrix. Unfortunately chemical treatment may affect nucleation of the lignocellulosic filler. On the basis of XRD results, the transformation of native cellulose I to cellulose II was observed. In the present study, the effect of the mercerisation of pine wood on the nucleation ability of polypropylene was investigated by means of polarising microscopy. The results showed that the chemical modification of pine wood had a significant effect on nucleation activity in polymer composites. This effect is explained by differences in the chemical compositions of wood fibres. The content of simple sugars obtained from the methanolysis and acidic hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose was determined through gas chromatography investigations. It was found for the first time that the formation of transcrystalline structures is possible for composites with a high content of glucose derived from cellulose. It is also worth emphasising that the chemical modification process can lead to cellulose depolymerisation processes and the formation of degradation products with a lower molecular weight. Knowledge of the phenomena taking place in the interphase boundary polymer/ filler is very important because it permits optimisation of the processing, leading to products of target properties.