This research investigates the properties of the wood-plastic composites, which are made of polypropylene matrix and birch wood as a filler. Wood plastic composites have already been widely researched materials and these materials are often used in commercially. There are many researches about the mechanical and physical properties of the wood-plastic composites and durability of these materials. However, there is no research about the effect of birch wood quality on the properties of wood-plastic composites. This is a wood defect common to birch and other wood species such as beech, maple, ash, poplar, linden etc. and its occurrence increases with the aging of the tree. The use of this false heartwood has often been a concern to the wood industry in view of the problems associated with its use which leads to lot of wastages of birch wood. This research therefore seeks to investigate the use of birch false heartwood as a filler material in wood-plastic composite. The specific objective of the study is to investigate the effect of birch false heartwood on the physical and mechanical properties of wood-plastic composites. Comparison of the results obtained will be made with pure birch wood-based composites.
Keywords: wood plastic composites WPC, birch (Betula pendula), false heartwood (FHW), physical properties, mechanical properties
Authors
Heikko Kallakas
Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
Gbenga Solomon Ayansola
Tanel Tumanov
Dmitri Goljandin
Triinu Poltimäe
Andres Krumme
Jaan Kers
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