Improvement of Mechanical Properties of Injection Molded Wood/Polypropylene Composites Parts with Ultrasonic Oscillation Assistant

Abstract:

Due to the water absorption of wood fillers and poor adhesion between wood fillers and polymer matrix, the loosen material structure always appears in wood/polymer composites after injection molding process, which results in reduced composites mechanical properties. In this study, two kinds of wood particles with different sizes and properties were compounded with Polypropylene (PP) in highly filled level (by 50% and 60% weight concentration). The experimental tensile test samples were prepared by one double-gate injection mould integrated an ultrasonic generator unit. The experiments were carried out for studying how the ultrasonic output power and the oscillation inducing time affect the injection molded wood/PP composites mechanical properties. 3 output power levels (400W, 600W and 800W) and 2 inducing mode were set (Mode1. the oscillation is induced from injecting moment to ejection moment; Mode2. the oscillation is induced from injecting moment to packing procedure finishing). The results show that the E module, tensile strength and density of the test parts are obviously changed with various ultrasonic output power and inducing time. Comparing the mechanical properties of parts with and without ultrasonic assistant indicates that the ultrasonic oscillation is a practical method to improve mechanical properties of injection molded wood/PP composites parts.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 654-656)
• Pages: 2636-2639
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.654-656.2636
• Online since: June 2010
• Authors: Lei Xie, Timo Grueneberg, Leif Steuernagel, Gerhard Ziegmann, Holger Militz
• Keywords: Injection Molding, Polypropylene (PP), Tensile Test, Ultrasonic Oscillation, Wood Particle

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