Wood particleboards reinforced with thermoplastics to improve thickness swelling and mechanical properties

Abstract

The manufacture of forest products with high physical and mechanical properties contribute to the development of the forest industry in obtaining more resistant products with potential in the construction sector. In this context, to contribute to the study of reconstituted panels this article discusses the manufacture of panels reinforced with recycled thermoplastics (WPC), which had as raw material sawdust of Pinus caribaea and as recycled thermoplastics polyethylene terephthalate, low-density polyethylene and polypropylene. The panels were obtained by extrusion and developed in four treatments with different proportions of raw material. Thickness swelling rates of the manufactured WPC were evaluated by immersing them in water at room temperature and monitoring thickness changes for several weeks. A swelling model developed by Saeed Kazemi Najafi was used to study the thickness swelling process of WPC. The WPC were characterized by thickness swelling, apparent density, static blending, longitudinal compression and tensile strength. The treatment with 50% sawdust and blend of all thermoplastics (T5) showed a tendency to reduce the thickness swelling because it absorbs 0.28% of water and maintains the balance of water absorption in 16.2% the apparent density was 1206 kgm-3. For the mechanical properties, the static blending, longitudinal compression and tensile strength are around 24.6, 142.4 and 32.8 MPa, respectively. These characteristics make a treatment the best response. Hence, is suggested this board be used for structural applications, such as interior or exterior walls, since the water absorption index is low and high mechanical properties allow being more resistant.