Wood-plastic composites as promising green-composites for automotive industries!

Author

Ashori A1.

Author information

1

Department of Chemical Industries, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, PO Box 15815-3538, Tehran, Iran. ashori@irost.ir

Abstract

Wood-plastic composite (WPC) is a very promising and sustainable green material to achieve durability without using toxic chemicals. The term WPCs refers to any composites that contain plant fiber and thermosets or thermoplastics. In comparison to other fibrous materials, plant fibers are in general suitable to reinforce plastics due to relative high strength and stiffness, low cost, low density, low CO2 emission, biodegradability and annually renewable. Plant fibers as fillers and reinforcements for polymers are currently the fastest-growing type of polymer additives. Since automakers are aiming to make every part either recyclable or biodegradable, there still seems to be some scope for green-composites based on biodegradable polymers and plant fibers. From a technical point of view, these bio-based composites will enhance mechanical strength and acoustic performance, reduce material weight and fuel consumption, lower production cost, improve passenger safety and shatterproof performance under extreme temperature changes, and improve biodegradability for the auto interior parts.

PMID:

 

18068352

 

DOI:

 

10.1016/j.biortech.2007.09.043

For further details log on website :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18068352