Wood Plastic Composites
description
Transcript of Wood Plastic Composites
Wood Plastic Composites An Overview
Presentation Outline
• Introduction to Wood Plastic Composites• Historical Development• Milestones in Commercialization• Technology Status• Benefits of wood plastic composites• Applications• Future markets & business opportunities
Definition
Wood Plastic Composite ( WPC )
Any composite that contains wood & thermoset
or thermoplastic
Thermoset : Epoxy , Phenolics
Thermoplastics: PE, PP, PVC, PS
Introduction
• First Generation WPCs Recycled woodchips / flour & binder
Designed for undemanding applications
• New Generation WPCs
High Performance products
Good mechanicals
High dimensional stability
Complex shapes
Extruded products with high dimensional tolerance
Introduction
“The new generation WPCs are produced by mixing wood flour or fiber & plastics to produce a material that can be processed like a conventional plastic & has the best features of wood & plastic”
Plastic Lumber
• Recycled Plastics
• Extruded profiles
• May / may not include wood flour
• Application – Sleepers on rail roads
Historical Perspectives
• 1900 : Bakelite ( Gear shift knobs for Rolls Royce)
• 1920: Birth of the WPC industry
Marriage of plastic processing
&
forest products industry
Initial Impediments to Growth
• Forest Product Industry Viewpoints– Alien to Plastic materials
– Few common material & equipment suppliers
– Only exposure to vinyl sidings
– Lack of Market Knowledge & application areas
• Plastic Industry Viewpoints– Conversant with mineral fillers & reinforcements
– Aversion to wood & natural fibers
Wood as a filler: Plastic Industry’s Viewpoints
• Low bulk density of wood flour vis-a vis plastics
( 0.5)• Low specific gravity of wood• Low thermal stability of wood• Tendency to absorb moisture
The Turn AroundThe last decade saw
• Greater awareness from both sides• Success of several WPC products• Greater understanding of wood filler• Developments in compounding equipments• Development in additives• Emerging opportunities in large volume building
application sector
Forest Products Industry: Change in Perception
• WPCs :Products with little maintenance• Low maintenance : USP Of WPCs• Forest Product companies : Suppliers of WPCs
Synergize knowledge of wood flour & core competence in building products
Milestones in The Commercialization Of WPCs
Year Company Product
1975 G.O.R., Italy Woodstock patent
1983 American Woodstock
Lear Corporation
50% WF/PP sheets for thermoforming for auto interiors
1990 Strandex Corporation Highly filled WPC extruded profiles& shapes
1991 AERT Later TREX 50 % WF/PE for deckboards, picnic tables etc
1993 Andersen Corporation WF reinforced PVC sub sills for French doors & window lines
Technology Status of WPCs
Market Potential
• Global market size : 320,000MT in 2000
• Expected Volume : More than double in 2005
Wood Filled Composites Natural Fiber Filled Composites
Technology Status Of WPCsMaterial Attributes
Thermoplastic Material End-Use
PE Virgin & recycled Exterior building components
PP Virgin Automotive
Profiles
PVC Virgin Building profiles & decking & windows
Technology Status Of WPCsPolymer Attributes
Selection of Thermoplastic matrix
* Inherent properties of polymer
* Product requirements
* Availability
* Cost
Technology Status Of WPCsAttributes of wood
• Wood flour : Particulate, l/d 2:1 to 4:1• Wood fiber : Reinforcing, l/d greater than 24:1• Commonly used species : Pine, Maple Oak• Typical particle size : 10 to 80 mesh• Price : Indian Rs. 15 to 20/- per Kg• Price : Imported Rs. 35 to 45/-per Kg
Technology Status Of WPCsManufacture & Processing
• Two stage Process: Compounded pellets & shaping
• Commonly Used processing Techniques Sheets & profile extrusion Thermoforming Compression Molding Injection Molding• New Trend In-Line Compounding & Processing
Salient Features of Extrusion of WPCs
• Two stage Process - compound & shaping
• Two Extruders in tandem Twin screw Compounding and shaping
Extrusion of WPCs
New Developments In Equipments
• American Maplan Corp : Counter rotating TSE, conical & parallel for direct extrusion
• Woodtruder American Davis Standard ( Crompton): First Stage drying extruder & side arm extruder for injection of polymer melt into the main extruder. Up to 80 % wood flour
• Wilmington Machinery: 375 tons two stage injection molding for foamed WPCs
Manufacturing Wood / PP Composites
Machinery For Wood PP Composites
Additive Developments Aid Growth of WPCs
• Tailor-made lubricants
• Non stearate & compatibilizer package
• Special HALS
• Antimicrobials
• Blowing agents
Wood Filled PP
Application Benefits
• Improved dimensional stability - increased strength
• Lower processing temperatures - less energy used
• Increased heat deflection temperature - reduced thermal expansion
• Up to 30% reduced cycle time for injection moulded products - increased productivity
• Approximately 10 - 20% lower specific gravity - lighter products
• Reduced shrinkage - lower internal shear in pultrusion application
• Low volumetric cost
ConventionalFillers Vs Wood Filler
AWF Wood Flour Weight Savings
Specific Gravity40% Filled Resin -
Polypropylene
Flexural MOE Versus %
Wood Flour2.0 2.2
3.23.8
4.5
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
20 30 40 50 60
% Wood Filler
Fle
xu
ral M
OE
(G
Pa
)
1.1
1.251.27 1.27
1
1.05
1.1
1.15
1.2
1.25
1.3
Wood Flour(AWF - 4020)
Talc CalciumCarbonate
Fiberglass
Fillers
We
igh
t
Wood Filled PP Products
Wood Filled PP Products
Wood Filled PP Products
Foaming Expands Possibilities For Wood Fibre / PP Composites
Foaming Expands Possibilities For Wood Fibre / PP Composites
Breakthrough Technology“Plastic Steel from Wood Filled PP”
• Expanded Oriented Wood filled PP• Low temperature die drawing • Synthetic Hardwood Technologies USA• Automotive side beams• Wood look – alike
Product Flexural Modulus ( M Pa )
PP 1800 EOW PP 7585
‘Plastics Steel’ Die Drawing Makes From Wood Filled PP
Material Flexural Strength Flexural Modulus
(MPa)
PP 48 1860
Wood 96 8946
O-PP 276 7585
EOW-PP 138 7585
Ram extrusion of PP / wood filled creates light weight wood-like material, even
stronger than wood
Wood Fibre Adds Stiffness & Value To Tight Tolerance Tubes
Polypropylene Developments
Wood Filled Repol PPfor Door Trims
PVC / Wood Composites
Outlook For The Future
• USA: 50 % growth rate of WPCs for building products
• ASTM Standards for building products based on WPCs
• Automotive : 15 % growth rate
Innovation in processing & product performance
Summary
The future of wood plastic composites will ultimately
depend on many factors; including new product
identification, product quality, consumer perception
& performance of these materials !