New opportunities with wood-flour-foamed PVC

Abstract

Composites of wood with polyethylene, polypropylene, and poly(vinyl chloride) represent an emerging class of materials that combine the favorable performance and cost attributes of both wood and thermoplastics. One of the major disadvantages, however, of these materials is a relatively high specific gravity compared with those of many natural wood products. A PVC-wood composite, for example, has a specific gravity of about 1.3 g/cc. This paper looks at producing cellular PVC-based wood composites and the properties that are achieved as the foam density is reduced. Overall, even with densities as low as 0.6 g/cc, the physical properties should be adequate for many wood replacement applications. The composites also offer the aesthetics of wood and economics that are favorable compared to those of both rigid and cellular PVC.