Effect Of Zinc Borate And Filler Loading On The Properties Of Post Biodegradation Meranti Wood Flour Filled Recycled High Density Polyethylene (rHDPE) Composite
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Date
2011-12
Authors
Samsir, Norhazariah
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of wood loading and effect of Zinc Borate (ZB) on strength on wood plastics composite (WPCs) properties via soil burial and agar block test. WPCs consisting recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE), ZB and meranti wood flour (WF) were compounded by twin screw extruder then molded using injection molding and compression molding into flexural shape samples. In order to study the effect of ZB, the composite samples were exposed to brown rot, Gloeophyllum Trabeum (GT) or white-rot fungus, Corilous Versicolor (CV) up to 12 weeks. The composite also used for field soil burial up to 48 weeks at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal. Weight loss, moisture content, surface morphology and flexural properties were measured. Agar block test and field soil burial demonstrated that ZB prevented biodegradation at ZB loading as low as 1.5 wt.%. The surface morphology revealed the evidence of none or lack of mycelium on the surface of composite containing ZB. Adding ZB to the composite also decreased flexural properties loss after exposure. The effect of WF loading through the method of modified preconditioning and soil burial has studied up to24 weeks. Modified preconditioning is soil burial through water soaking (WS) and/or sanding(S) which was done in laboratory condition. Field and laboratory soil burial demonstrated that decay susceptibility increased with WF loading. WS affected the susceptibility of the composite. WPCs via WS showed higher weight loss and moisture content than S. Interpretation of both ZB and WF loading analysis indicate that moisture absorption contribute little bit to strength loss and influence the increasing of weight loss.
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Keywords
Effect of zinc borate and filler loading , of post biodegradation meranti wood flour