The effect of nanoclay contents on the physical and mechanical properties of bagasse flour/ reprocessed high density polyethylene (rHDPE)/ nanoclay composites was investigated. The bagasse flour content was constant at 50%, the maleic anhydride content was constant at 3%, and the nanoclay (Cloisite 30B) content was set at three different levels: 0%, 2%, and 4%. The materials were mixed in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder; afterwards, the specimens were fabricated using an injection molding method. The water absorption and mechanical properties, such as flexural and tensile strength, flexural and tensile modulus, and notched impact strength, were measured. The nanoclay dispersion was examined by X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that tensile and flexural modulus increased with an increase in nanoclay content. Also By increasing the nanoclay content at 2 wt.%, the tensile and flexural strengths of the composite were increased. However, the addition of 4 wt.% nanoclay resulted in reductions of these properties. Water absorption decreased with increasing nanoclay content. The structural examination of the bagasse polymer composite with X-ray diffraction showed that the nanoclay was distributed as an intercalated structure in the polymer matrix, and the d-spacing of layers decreased with increasing nanoclay content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that 2% nanoclay samples with lower and more uniform pores compared at 4% nanoclay samples, respectively.

The decay resistance of oil-heat treated aspen wood (Populus tremula l.) against white rot fungi (Coriolus versicolor) and brown rot fungi (Coniophora puteana) was investigated. Three different temperature stages and two time levels for oil heat treatment for the selection of optimum conditions were determined. Linseed oil as a heating medium was used. The mass loss of treated samples that were exposed to both fungi was significantly lower than that of the control samples. Results also showed improvement in dimensional stability after oil heat treatment. Decay resistance and dimensional stability of aspen wood were increased significantly with temperature increasing, but time seemed to have no effect on those properties. Oil heat treatment is a suitable method to improve decay resistance of aspen wood as it reduced the mass loss by 71% and 77% against Coriolus versicolor and Coniophora puteana compared with control samples, respectively. On the other hand, oil heat treatment improved the dimensional stability by about 20.5%.

Effect of Acetylation of Wood Flour and MAPP Content during Compounding on Physical Properties, Decay Resistance, Contact Angle, and Morphology of Polypropylene/Wood Flour Composites

Thermal, Flammability, and Morphological Properties of Nano-composite from Fir Wood Flour and Polypropylene