Effect Of Filler Loading On The Mechanical Properties Of Wood Plastic

Abstract

Polypropylene plastic wastes and five types of wood sawdust were used to prepare wood plastic composites by the compression moulding process. The effects of filler loading (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50wt %) on the mechanical properties were investigated. All the filler loadings significantly influence these properties. Teak, African mahogany and Shea butter trees have the highest flexural modulus at 20 wt % filler loading, with values of 931.42 MPa, 1004.47 MPa, and 1141.21 MPa, respectively. The flexural strength of teak, African mahogany, shea butter tree, and parrot beak peaked at 20 wt% filler loading at 33.6 Mpa, 44.7 Mpa, 38.97 Mpa and 37.66 Mpa respectively. At 20 wt%, African mahogany and Shea butter has an increase in the tensile strength of 20.2MPa and 15.81MPa from 16.54MPa and 16.81MPa respectively. There is a reduction in the impact strength as the filer loading increases for all the samples, the impact strength of teak composites dropped from 0.75 J at 0% filler loading to 0.25 J at 50% filler loading, while the hardness value increases for all the samples as the filler loading increases. It can be concluded that the filler loadings affect the mechanical properties in different ways which will be useful in household and industrial applications. Also, since waste wood and plastic wastes were used, it will help in reducing environmental pollution.