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Processing and flexural properties of surface reinforced flat pressed WPC panels

Herstellung und Biegeeigenschaften von flachgepressten WPC-Platten mit verstärkten Deckschichten

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Abstract

While extrusion and injection molding are the common technologies to produce wood-plastic composites (WPC), pressing may be an alternative, particularly when flat products are striven for. In this study, flat pressed WPC panels were surface-reinforced by two different types of thermoplastic face layers to improve flexural properties. The two face materials applied were a commingled fabric made of glass and polypropylene filaments (TWINTEX®) and a glass fabric reinforced polypropylene laminate (S-TEX®). Combination of face layers and WPC panels was achieved in a single and a two stage flat pressing process. Besides studying the effects of reinforcing material and number of process stages, the influence on flexural properties of the reinforced panels was identified. Unreinforced WPC panels were tested for comparison. The reinforced WPC panels exhibited greatly improved flexural properties, with MOE (MOR) values up to nearly 10,000 N/mm² (90 N/mm²).

Zusammenfassung

Holz-Kunststoff-Verbundwerkstoffe (wood-plastic composites) (WPC) werden überwiegend im Extrusions- oder Spritzgießverfahren hergestellt. Alternativ hierzu können plattenförmige WPCs mit Hilfe der Flachpresstechnologie hergestellt werden. In dieser Studie wurden flachgepresste WPC-Platten mit zwei verschiedenen thermoplastischen Deckschichtmaterialien verstärkt, um so deren Biegeeigenschaften zu verbessern. Als Deckschichtmaterialien wurden TWINTEX®, eine kombinierte Glasfaser-Polypropylenfaser-Matte, sowie S-TEX®, eine dünne glasfaserverstärkte Polypropylenplatte, verwendet. Die Verbindung zwischen Deckschicht und WPC-Platte wurde in einem ein- und einem zweistufigen Verfahren realisiert. Ergänzend zum Einfluss des Verstärkungsmaterials und der Anzahl der Prozessschritte, wurden die Biegeeigenschaften der verstärkten Platten bestimmt. Als Referenzmaterial dienten unverstärkte WPC-Platten. Durch die Verstärkung der Deckschichten wurde ein Anstieg der Biegeeigenschaften auf einen Wert von fast bist zu 10.000 N/mm2 (MOE) und 90 N/mm2 (MOR) erzielt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wood Science, Mechanical Wood Technology, Hamburg University, Leuschnerstrasse 91c, 21031, Hamburg, Germany

    Henrik Schmidt & Jan T. Benthien

  2. Department of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Solothurnstrasse 102, 2500, Biel, Switzerland

    Heiko Thoemen

Authors
  1. Henrik Schmidt
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  2. Jan T. Benthien
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  3. Heiko Thoemen
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Correspondence to Jan T. Benthien.

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Schmidt, H., Benthien, J.T. & Thoemen, H. Processing and flexural properties of surface reinforced flat pressed WPC panels. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 71, 591–597 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-013-0719-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-013-0719-y

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