Biocomposites -fiber modifiction and melt studies to increase the processability at high fiber content
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Chalmers Tekniska Högskola AB - Institutionen för kemi och kemiteknik |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 790 000 |
| Project duration | February 2018 - August 2021 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
The aim of the project has been to develop new approaches that enable production of reinforced wood fiber polymer composites, WFPL´s, with a fiber content with more than 60%. For the forest based industries, this will create new market segments within construction, automotive and industrial goods, and consequently promote sustainable industrialization.
Expected results and effects
Composites of up to 70% TMP fibers and up to 5% additives was succesfully prepared by compression moulding. The additive improved the strength of the formed composite and from rheology measurements it was concluded that the interface compatibility between fiber and polymer was improved. For fibers that was hydrophobized by chemical modification a fiber content of 50% was succesfully extruded. Even though a 60% fiber content was not achieved the chemical modification improved the processing and gave composites of good quality.
Planned approach and implementation
In the project has a set of hydrophobized fibers been prepared, analyzed by molecular characterization techniques and their surface tension has been determined. Fibers with the lowest surface tension has been used in extrusion to achieve composites which mechanical properties was evaluated. The methodology by using additives has revealed that strength and flexibility of the interphase, the thin region between polymer and fiber that determine the bulk properties of the material, can be tuned by other methodologies than hydrophobization of the fiber surface.