Effect of compatibilizer on properties of wood-plastic composites based on recycled polyethylene

Abstract

The properties of wood-plastic composite materials affected by many factors, of which the decisive factor in the product's properties is the interphase between wood – plastic. To enhance the interaction between these two phases, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties, the use of compatibilizer is essential. This paper studied the influence of MAPE as a compatibilizer on the properties of wood-plastic composite materials based on recycled polyethylene resin. The results showed that: the addition of MAPE improved the processing properties of the material in the molten state, enhanced the mechanical properties, and reduced water absorption. Observation of scanning electron microscopy images (SEM) of the material's structure shows that: when using compatibilizer, the wood powder is more evenly dispersed in the resin matrix, with no obvious phase separation compared to the reference sample. When using 4 pkl compatibilizer: the material's tensile strength increased by 62 % (from 6.67 MPa to 10.84 MPa), the flexural strength increased by 73 % (from 12.26 MPa to 21.12 MPa).