Wood flour-reinforced plastic composites: A review

Abstract

The light weight, easy availability, and biodegradability of natural fiber composites afford a variety of uses of these materials for the building and automobile sectors. Among all available natural fibers, wood flour is one of the most abundantly available resources. Commodity plastics such as high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, and polypropylene, can be reinforced with wood flour, along with a compatibilizer and a coupling agent. A wide variety of compatibilizers and coup-ling agents are commercially available to cater to different needs. Under optimal conditions and compositions, they impart better mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties to the wood flour-reinforced plastic. © 2011 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston 2011.