Effect of Durability Treatment on Ultraviolet Resistance, Strength, and Surface Wettability of Wood Plastic Composite

Abstract

A comparative analysis of photostabilizing effects of hindered amine light stabilizers (HALSs), an ultraviolet absorber (UVA), and zinc borate (ZnB) on wood plastic composites (WPCs) was made in this study to show the influence of the accelerated weathering on the surface degradation and loss of mechanical properties of treated WPCs. The results showed that the UVA was the most effective in preventing composite from being bleached, especially when the aging time was longer than 1000 hours. With the addition of the ultraviolet stabilizers, the contact angles increased, indicating increased water wettability. The contact angle of UVA-containing samples was greater than that of the control and the other samples treated with HALSs and ZnB. Flexural properties of all materials decreased after being weathered under xenon-arc light. Materials treated with UVA had higher retention rates in flexural strength and modulus. The results show that, among the agents used, UVA was the most effective additive in preventing WPCs from ultraviolet degradation.