Effect of thermal treatment on some physical and mechanical properties in Populus wood flour/recycled polypropylene composites

This research considered the effect of thermal treatment of wood flour in different times and temperatures as an agent for treat properties of Populus wood flour/recycled polypropylene composites. Water absorption and thickness swelling tests as physical properties, tensile and bending strength as mechanical properties evaluated. The experimental results indicated that samples treated in 60 minutes and 200ºC had the lowest amounts in water absorption and thickness swelling tests but about samples treated in 20 minutes, 160 and 180ºC observed that the samples were treated in 160ºC had low amount of water absorption (63%) than the samples were treated in 180ºC (76%). Measuring of mechanical properties showed that the variable properties of composites were increased with the rising heat time, while the samples were treated at 60 minutes had 97% followed by the samples treated at 20 minutes had 14% amount more than control samples.