Wood Plastic Composites

BY K.ARAVIND KUMAR 2012250002

BY K.ARAVIND KUMAR 2012250002

Wood Plastic Composites An Overview

Presentation Outline

O Introduction to Wood Plastic Composites

O Historical DevelopmentO Milestones in CommercializationO Technology StatusO Benefits of wood plastic compositesO ApplicationsO Future markets & business

opportunities

Definition

Wood Plastic Composite ( WPC )

Any composite that contains wood & thermoset

or thermoplastic

Thermoset : Epoxy , Phenolics Thermoplastics: PE, PP, PVC, PS

Introduction

O First Generation WPCs Recycled woodchips / flour & binder Designed for undemanding

applicationsO New Generation WPCs High Performance products Good mechanicals High dimensional stability Complex shapes Extruded products with high

dimensional tolerance

Introduction

“The new generation WPCs are

produced by mixing wood flour or fiber & plastics to produce a material that can be processed like a conventional plastic & has the best features of wood & plastic”

Plastic Lumber

O Recycled PlasticsO Extruded profilesO May / may not include wood flourO Application – Sleepers on rail roads

Historical Perspectives

O1900 : Bakelite ( Gear shift knobs for Rolls Royce)

O1920: Birth of the WPC industry

Marriage of plastic processing &

forest products industry

Initial Impediments to Growth

O Forest Product Industry ViewpointsO Alien to Plastic materialsO Few common material & equipment

suppliersO Only exposure to vinyl sidingsO Lack of Market Knowledge &

application areasO Plastic Industry Viewpoints

O Conversant with mineral fillers & reinforcements

O Aversion to wood & natural fibers

Wood as a filler: Plastic Industry’s Viewpoints

OLow bulk density of wood flour vis-a vis plastics

( 0.5)OLow specific gravity of woodOLow thermal stability of woodOTendency to absorb moisture

The Turn AroundThe last decade saw

OGreater awareness from both sidesOSuccess of several WPC productsOGreater understanding of wood

fillerODevelopments in compounding

equipmentsODevelopment in additivesOEmerging opportunities in large

volume building application sector

Forest Products Industry: Change in Perception

O WPCs :Products with little maintenanceO Low maintenance : USP Of WPCsO Forest Product companies : Suppliers of

WPCs

Synergize knowledge of wood flour

& core competence in

building products

Milestones in The Commercialization Of

WPCsYear Company Product

1975 G.O.R., Italy Woodstock patent

1983 American Woodstock

Lear Corporation

50% WF/PP sheets for thermoforming for auto interiors

1990 Strandex Corporation Highly filled WPC extruded profiles& shapes

1991 AERT Later TREX 50 % WF/PE for deckboards, picnic tables etc

1993 Andersen Corporation WF reinforced PVC sub sills for French doors & window lines

Technology Status of WPCs

Market Potential O Global market size : 320,000MT in 2000O Expected Volume : More than double in 2005

Wood Filled Composites Natural Fiber Filled Composites

Technology Status Of WPCsMaterial Attributes

Thermoplastic Material End-Use

PE Virgin & recycled Exterior building components

PP Virgin Automotive

Profiles

PVC Virgin Building profiles & decking & windows

Technology Status Of WPCsPolymer Attributes

Selection of Thermoplastic matrix

* Inherent properties of polymer * Product requirements * Availability * Cost

Technology Status Of WPCsAttributes of wood

O Wood flour : Particulate, l/d 2:1 to 4:1

O Wood fiber : Reinforcing, l/d greater than 24:1

O Commonly used species : Pine, Maple Oak

O Typical particle size : 10 to 80 meshO Price : Indian Rs. 15 to 20/- per KgO Price : Imported Rs. 35 to 45/-per Kg

Technology Status Of WPCsManufacture & Processing

O Two stage Process: Compounded pellets & shaping

O Commonly Used processing Techniques

Sheets & profile extrusion Thermoforming Compression Molding Injection MoldingO New Trend In-Line Compounding &

Processing

Salient Features of Extrusion of WPCs

O Two stage Process - compound & shaping

O Two Extruders in tandem Twin screw Compounding and shaping

Extrusion of WPCs

New Developments In Equipments

O American Maplan Corp : Counter rotating TSE, conical & parallel for direct extrusion

O Woodtruder American Davis Standard ( Crompton): First Stage drying extruder & side arm extruder for injection of polymer melt into the main extruder. Up to 80 % wood flour

O Wilmington Machinery: 375 tons two stage injection molding for foamed WPCs

Manufacturing Wood / PP Composites

Machinery For Wood PP Composites

Additive Developments Aid Growth of WPCs

O Tailor-made lubricantsO Special HALSO AntimicrobialsO Blowing agentsO ColorantsO UV stabilizersO Foaming agents

Wood Filled

PP

Application BenefitsO Improved dimensional stability - increased

strengthO Lower processing temperatures - less energy usedO Increased heat deflection temperature - reduced

thermal expansionO Up to 30% reduced cycle time for injection

moulded products - increased productivityO Approximately 10 - 20% lower specific gravity

- lighter productsO Reduced shrinkage - lower internal shear in

pultrusion applicationO Low volumetric cost

ConventionalFillers Vs Wood Filler

AWF Wood Flour Weight Savings

Specific Gravity40% Filled Resin -

Polypropylene

Flexural MOE Versus %

Wood Flour2.0 2.2

3.23.8

4.5

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

20 30 40 50 60

% Wood Filler

Fle

xu

ral M

OE

(G

Pa

)

1.1

1.251.27 1.27

1

1.05

1.1

1.15

1.2

1.25

1.3

Wood Flour(AWF - 4020)

Talc CalciumCarbonate

Fiberglass

Fillers

We

igh

t

Wood Filled PP Products

Wood Filled PP Products

Wood Filled PP Products

Foaming Expands Possibilities For

Wood Fibre / PP Composites

Foaming Expands Possibilities For

Wood Fibre / PP Composites

Breakthrough Technology“Plastic Steel from Wood

Filled PP”O Expanded Oriented Wood filled PPO Low temperature die drawing O Synthetic Hardwood Technologies USAO Automotive side beamsO Wood look – alike

Product Flexural Modulus

( M Pa ) PP 1800 EOW PP 7585

‘Plastics Steel’ Die Drawing Makes From Wood

Filled PP

Material Flexural Strength Flexural Modulus

(MPa)

PP 48 1860

Wood 96 8946

O-PP 276 7585

EOW-PP 138 7585

Ram extrusion of PP / wood filled creates light weight wood-like material, even

stronger than wood

Wood Fibre Adds Stiffness & Value

To Tight Tolerance Tubes

Polypropylene Developments

Wood Filled Repol PPfor Door Trims

PVC / Wood Composites

Outlook For The Future

O USA: 50 % growth rate of WPCs for building products

O ASTM Standards for building products based on WPCs

O Automotive : 15 % growth rate

Innovation in processing &

product performance

Summary

The future of wood plastic composites will ultimately

depend on many factors; including new product

identification, product quality, consumer perception

& performance of these materials !

REFERENCEO http://wpc-composite-

decking.blogspot.com/p/what-is-wood-plastic-composite-wpc.html

O Clemons, C. (2002) "Wood-plastic Composites in the United States: The interfacing of two Industries" Forest Products Journal 52(6)

O http://www.wpcextruder.com/news_show-13.html Introduction of WPC Wood Plastic Composite Products

REFERENCE Stark, N. (2001) “Influence of Moisture Absorption on Mechanical Properties of Wood Flour-Polypropylene Composites.” Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials 14O Hamel, S. (2011) Modeling the Time-dependent Flexural Response of Wood-plastic Composite Materials Dissertation, University of Wisconsin–MadisonOMorrell, J et al.(2006) “Durability of wood-plastic composites.” Wood Design Focus 16(3)

REFERENCEO http://

www.decksandfencesbyryan.com/articles/21-composite-vs-wood.html

O http://fencedeck.ca/decks/mississauga-composite-deck/

O http://wpcinfo.org/techinfo/Fire_Studies.html Washington State University Wood Plastic Composites Information Center, "Fire Issues in Engineered Wood Composites for Naval Waterfront Facilities", 46th International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition, Long Beach, California, May 2001

REFERENCEO http://www.enn.com/business/article/

24261 Environmental News Network, "California Fire Codes Put Focus on Plastic Decking Concerns" 5 Nov 2007

O BibliographyO Anatole A. Klyosov. Wood-Plastic Composites.

John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2007, 698 pp.

O Asta Eder, Andreas Haider: Marktchancen für Wood Polymer Composites im deutschsprachigen Raum. In: Holztechnologie. 52 (2011), S. 44-49, (online)

O Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org

USEFUL ???????? ANY WAY

THANK YOU