High-Density Polyethylene-Based Composites With Pressure-Treated Wood Fibers

Abstract

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)-based composites with alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ)-and micronized copper quaternary (MCQ)-treated wood fibers were manufactured through injection molding. The mechanical properties, water absorption, and biological resistance properties of the fabricated composites with different coupling treatments were investigated. Composites with ACQ-and MCQ-treated wood had mechanical properties comparable with those made of untreated wood. The different coupling agents worked well for the treated wood materials. Similar water absorption behaviors were observed for the HDPE composites containing treated wood and those containing untreated wood. The results of the termite test showed that the composites containing untreated wood had slightly more weight loss. The decay test revealed that the composites containing treated wood had less decay fungal growth on the surfaces, compared with samples from untreated wood, indicating enhanced decay resistance for the composites from the treated material. The stable mechanical properties and improved biological performances of the composites containing treated wood demonstrated the feasibility of making wood-plastic composites with pressure-treated wood materials, and thus offered a practical way to recycle treated wood into value-added composites.

Effect of Preservative Pretreatment on the Biological Durability of Corn Straw Fiber/HDPE Composites

“…These findings imply that the CSF content is an important factor affecting the degradation behavior of CSF/HDPE composites infected by the mixed soft rot fungal inocula. Our data is in agreement with the results described in earlier publications [ 13 , 24 ]. As expected, there were significant differences in the mass loss between CSF/HDPE and the poplar wood control sample.…”

“…Termite resistance increased 2.6- and 1.2-fold at an ACQ level of 3% for the 50/50 and 60/40 formulations, respectively. Shang et al [ 13 ] also reported that termite resistance increased by approximately three-fold at an ACQ level of 4% for the 40/60 (wood/plastic) formulation. The increase in termite resistance was smaller for the ZB treatment than for the ACQ treatment.…”

“…Samples containing recycled chromed copper arsenate-treated wood exhibit improved biological durability and photo protection properties [ 12 ]. Additionally, WPCs containing alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ)-treated or micronized copper quaternary-treated wood show less surface-level wood-decay fungal growth and mass loss due to termites than WPCs prepared using untreated wood [ 13 ]. According to decay and termite tests, increasing the content of zinc borate (ZB) to the 1% (w/w) retention level significantly decreases the mass loss rates of WPCs [ 14 ].…”

Effects of preservative pretreatments on moisture adsorption and desorption properties of corn stalk fiber/high-density polyethylene composites

“…Pendleton et al (2002) found that biological resistance was exhibited in the wood/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites containing ZB. Stable mechanical properties, similar moisture sorption behaviors, and improved biological performances were shown in the HDPE-based composites treated with ACQ and micronized copper quaternary, as reported by Shang et al (2012). Similarly, Tascioglu et al (2013) reported that addition of ZB at a 1% retention level decreased the mass loss of WPCs when exposed to laboratory decay and termite tests.…”

Determination of biological performance, dimensional stability, mechanical and thermal properties of wood–plastic composites produced from recycled chromated copper arsenate-treated wood

“…Previous studies on the use of CCA-treated wood in WPCs have been very limited. 7,8 In this study, recycled CCA-treated wood was used as a filler to produce WPCs. The effects of the coupling agent and filler content on the water absorption, thickness swelling, mechanical and thermal properties, biological performance and morphology of the WPCs were investigated.…”