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Abstract
The interphase region of a wood-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composite was investigated with nanoindentation techniques capable of separating intrinsic properties of PP in the interphase region from the effect of elastic discontinuity caused by the nearby wood cell wall. From data collected in this experiment, no differences in hardness or Young’s modulus for PP were observed between bulk PP and PP in the inter-phase. Had the elastic discontinuity not been taken into consideration, the measured Young’s modulus would have appeared to increase in the interphase region. Observations were also made about morphology of the composite, and it was noted that filler particles were present in the majority of PP but were absent in PP present in lumens of intact wood cells. Effects of these filler particles on the nanoindentation data were also investigated.
Keywords
Fibers,
fiber-reinforced plastics,
mechanical properties,
microstructure,
testing,
composite materials,
wood plastic composites,
polypropylene,
nanotechnology,
plant cell walls,
nanostructured materials,
elasticity,
thermoplastic composites,
hardness,
nanoindentation,
penetration,
wood-plastic materials
Citation
Jakes, Joseph E.; Hermanson, John C.; Stone, Donald S. 2007. Nanoindentation of the interphase region of a wood-reinforced polypropylene composite. In: Stark, Nicole M. Ed. Proceedings Ninth International Conference on wood & biofiber plastic composites. 2007 May 21-23; Madison, WI. Madison, WI: Forest Products Society: 72224: 197-203. ISBN: 1892529505: 9781892529503.
