Silane Modified Wood Flour Blended with Poly(lactic acid) and its Effects on Composite Performance

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study silane-modified wood flour/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blends and the effect of blending on the properties of the wood flour/PLA composites. The surface of the wood flour used as filler was successfully modified by silane, as demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results. The influence of silane types and content on the morphology, mechanical properties, and water absorption were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results demonstrated that the KH-550 silane was the most effective modifier for improving the compatibility, mechanical properties, and water absorption of the blend. The appropriate additive content was 1.5% (relative to wood flour content). As the KH-550 content increased, the mechanical strength and elongation at the break first increased and then slightly decreased. These properties reached a maximum at 1.5% KH-550. The water resistance of the blend also was improved at a KH-550 content of 1.5%.

Keywords

• Silane
• Wood flour
• Poly (lactic acid) (PLA)
• Mechanical properties