ABSTRACT
High demand of composite materials has resulted from high level of wood waste generation from Nigeria sawmill. This is partly due to poor saw doctoring techniques and lack of skillful machinists in mills. Thus, the quest for renewable materials which are environmentally friendly and low material costs are the driving forces behind the increasing use of renewable materials such as wood and other natural fibres as reinforcement in polymer composites. This study examined the production of wood-plastic composite from mixed sawdust of Pterocarpus anglensis and Gmelina arborea. The mixed sawdust were sieved to five (5) aperture, oven dried to 12 -15% Moisture Content and blended with polyester and other chemical additive [Methy Ether, Koton peroxide as accelerate and Colbate octate as catalyst]. The specimens produced were machined and tested according to the ASTM – D1037 standard for wood-based panel. The test data were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to test the level of significance between the variables. The Physical and Mechanical properties of wood-plastics composite tested at Moisture Content (MC) of 6.5%, Water Absorption of 4.5%, Density of 16kg/m3 Compressive Strength (untreated) of 0.28N/mm2, and compressive strength (treated) of 0.24N/mm2. Others were: Impact Strength of 25.1N/m2 and Tensile strength 8.39N/mm2. The wood-plastic composites were dimensionally stable with low sorption rate and suitable for moderately stress interior and exterior engineering application.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables x
List of Figures xi
Acronyms xii
Abstract xiii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study 1
1.2 Statement of Problems 5
1.3 Objectives of the Study 5
1.4 Justification
of the Study 6
1. 5 Research Benefits 6
1.6 Scope of the Study 7
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1 Brief History of Wood Plastics Composite 8
2.2 Wood and its Environment 11
2.3 Crude Materials 12
2.3.1 Pterocarpus
angolensis 12
2.3.2 Gmelina
arborea 13
2.4 Impact of
Filler on Mechanical Properties of Composite 13
2.5 Effect of Process Parameter on Mechanical Characteristics 15
2.6 Application of
Wood Plastics Composite 17
2.6.1 Wood plastics composite decking development 18
2.7 Impact of Wood Particles Characteristics
on WPC properties 18
2.8 Impact of Wood Species 18
2.8.1 Substance constituents of wood plastics 19
2.8.2 Fillers
in wood-plastic composites 20
2.9 Wood Properties 21
2.9.1 Macrostructure
of wood 21
2.9.2 Wood
cells 21
2.9.3 Cell
wall structure 22
2.9. 4 Chemical composition 22
2.10 Overview of plastics 23
2.10.1 Properties of plastics 23
2.10.2 Polyester 23
2.10.3 Structure
property relationships 24
2.11. History
of Thermally Stable Polyesters 24
2.11.1 Flame retardant polyesters 25
2.11.2. Unsaturated polyester 25
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS
AND METHODS
3.1 Area of study 26
3.2 Sample Collection 28
3.3 Equipment
Used 28
3.3.1 List
of chemicals and reagents 29
3. 4 Preparation of
Samples 30
3.4.1 Sieve Analysis 30
3.4.2 Weighing of the various sieve size 31
3.5 Treatment of Sample with Sodium Hydroxide
[NaOH] 32
3.6 Determination of Moisture Content of the Sample 32
3.7 Procedure for the Formulation and
Production of the Composite 33
3.7.1 Experimental procedure/manufacturing flow
chart 34
3.8 Test carried out on the Composite 38
3.8.1 Density of composite 38
3.8.2 Water absorption and thickness swelling of
composite 38
3.8.3 Compressive
stress 39
3.8.4 Impact test 41
3.8.5 Tensile test 42
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Physical properties of wood plastic
composites 44
4.1.1 The result of the moisture content of the
composite 44
4.1.2 Result of the density 45
4.1.3 Result of water absorption of the composite 46
4.2 Mechanical Properties of the Composite 47
4.2.1 Compressive strength of the composite 47
4.2.2 Impact strength result of the composite 50
4.2.3 The result of tensile test 51
4.3 Effect of particle size on Strength
Properties 53
4.4 Economic Implication of the Study 54
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary 55
5.2 Conclusion 56
5.3 Recommendation 57
References 59
Appendix 66
LIST OF
TABLES
2.1: Chemical Component of Wood 23
3.1: List of Equipment Used 29
3.2: List of Chemicals and Reagents 29
3.3: Five Different Sieve Mesh Used 30
3.4:
Formulation of Sample A and Sample B with Polyester Resin,
Accelerator and Catalyst 34
3.5: Curing Time for all Aperture Size 36
4.1: Result of the
Moisture Content 44
4.2: Result of Density of the Composite 45
4.3: Result of
Water Absorption of the Composite 46
4.4a:
Compressive Strength Result for Untreated Sample A 47
4.4b:
Compressive Strength Result for Treated Sample B with Sodium Hydroxide
48
4.5:
Result of the Impact Strength 51
4.6:
Result of the Tensile Strength 52
LIST
OF FIGURES
3.1: Map of Cross
River State Showing the Study Area 27
3.2a: Samples of Gmelina
arborea Collected from Akim Timber Mill, Calabar 28
3.2b: Samples of Pterocarpus angolensis collected from Akim Timber Mill 28
3.3: Sieves Samples of Pterocarpus angolensis and Gmelina arborea 31
port,ianity
Street Calabar
ing or
Cross RIver 3.4: Sodium Hydroxide
Treatment of Sample B 32
3.5: Oven Drying of
the Samples 33
3.6: Mixing and Formulation of Composite 35
3.7: Mould of
(150× 100×100mm) 35
3.8: Produced Wood
Plastic Composite (WPC) 36
3.9: Manufacturing flow chart of wood plastic
composite 37
3.10: The
compressive Machine Used 40
3.11a: Weighed Specimens 40
3.11b: Specimen
Undergoing Compressive Test 41
3.11c:
Specimen after Compressive Test 41
3.12: Specimens Undergoing Impact Test, Using
Non-destructive Hammer 42
4.1:
Compressive Strength to Percentage of Sawdust to Polyester 49
4.2:
The Relationship between the Test Load and the Compressive Strength 50
4.3:
Shows the Relationship between Tensile Strength and Sieve Sizes 53
ACRONYMS
ANOVA Analysis of Variance
ANSI American
National Standards Institute
ASTM American
Society of Testing Materials
BS British Standard
Cm Centimetre
G Grams
HDPE High
Density Polyethylene
Kg/mm2 Kilogramme
per millimetre square
MC Moisture Content
Mm Millimetre
MOE Modulus
of Elasticity
MOR Modulus
of Ruptures
N/mm2 Newton per millimetre square
NCP Nigerian
Code of Practices
NRC National
Research Council
NSE Nigerian Society of Engineers
PE Polyester
WPC Wood-Plastic
Composite
WPCs Wood-Plastic Composites
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Wood-plastic composite comprised of two unmistakable
materials, which together improve items execution and lower generation cost.
Composite materials regularly incorporate lignocelluloses material and plastic.
Fortifications capacity is to upgrade the mechanical properties of the composite
(Clemons, 2002). Fortifications are normally as either fiber or molecule
(Wolcott, 2003). Matrix and support materials can be polymer, the most
generally utilized composite materials are fiber-strengthened thermosetting
polymers. Physical properties are likewise affected by the fortification
including; Density or weight per unit volume, warm extension, Electrical
conductivity and vibration hosing. In many examinations, the wood - plastic
composite association was talked about from the substance perspective (the
science of holding in the non-existent wood-plastic interface).
Albeit mechanical interlocking is ordinarily viewed as
a noteworthy instrument in attachment (Wolcott, 2003). Wood plastic composites
are new composite materials made of wood flour, thermoplastic polymer, and
limited quantities of added substances. It was first built up a very long while
prior as a method for using post - purchaser reused plastics, for example,
polyethylene and sawdust, created as a waste result of saw factory and furniture
production lines (Clemons, 2002). Wood plastic composite (WPC) has been
acknowledged for some indoor and outside applications.
Wood Plastics composite is characterized as a
thermoplastic wood - strengthened composite with over half by weight of wood
materials (e.g. wood flour, wood molecule or sawdust). Because of its
extraordinary protective properties, the material has seen an amazing
development inside the structure materials in the present age, humanity has
made a gigantic improvement being developed because of expanding request in the
personal satisfaction. In this respect numerous items have been designed to
make human life progressively agreeable. Composite materials are produced using
at least two constituent materials (network and fortification) with essentially
extraordinary mechanical properties which stay independent and unmistakable
inside the completed structure. They show a blend of the best attributes of
every individual material. The most well-known fortification is polyester in
which wood filaments are implanted inside a polymer material. Polyester gets
quality from the wood fiber and adaptability from the polymer. In any case, the
mechanical exhibition of polymer strengthened composites relies upon the
properties of constituent segments as well as the interfacial cooperation built
up between the fortifying specialist and the network material (Callister,
2013).
Understanding this potential, this proposal will
concentrate on creation of wood plastic composite WPC, from a blended molecule
of Gmelina arborea and Pterocarpus angolensis sawdust which is
constantly considered as waste in our saw factory during both essential and
auxiliary wood transformation forms. The soonest wood - plastic composites
showed up almost a century prior where wood flour was joined with
phenol-formaldehyde (PF) pitch to make a composite material utilized as a car
gearshift handle. A brilliant diagram of composite made by joining wood with
thermosetting polymer was extensively assessed by (Rowell, 2008). An early reference
to consolidating wood sawdust with thermoplastic tar by means of expulsion
preparing seemed more than 60years back. Composites are generally utilized in
our everyday life. Because of their low weight and capacity to be custom fitted
for explicit end use they have picked up an extensive ground in the elite
applications, for example, aviation, vehicle furniture, structures and
assembling industry. Be that as it may, the utilization of polymers that can't
be reused, when utilized render composite non-recyclable. This has turned into
a noteworthy issue as the landfills are up to a quicker pace alongside the
requirement for practicing environmental awareness because of a worldwide
temperature alteration. In the previous ten years, wood-plastic composites
(WPC) have developed as a significant group of building materials. They have
turned out to be predominant in many structure applications, for example,
decking, docks, finishing timbers, fencing and so forth., in part because of
the need to supplant weight treated strong wood (Pilarski and Matuana, 2005).
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) are acquiring an incredible consideration in
modern areas and scholastics because of their great properties and highlights
which incorporate low thickness, minimal effort, inexhaustibility and
recyclability just as attractive mechanical properties (Zhang, 2012). Better
solidness and ideal mechanical properties has caused WPCs to turn into a
favored structure material (Adhikary, 2008). Then again, nano science and
nanotechnology have given another approach to create WPCs (Lu, 2006).
Nanotechnology is an exceptionally encouraging territory for upgrading the
mechanical and physical just as different properties of WPCs utilizing
nanosized fillers. These upgrades incorporate high moduli; expanded tractable
and flexural quality, decline in water absorbance and expanded biodegradability
of biodegradable polymers (Ashori and Nourbakhsh, 2009). Wood is one of
nature's blessings to humankind. Items that have throughout the years been produced
using wood fiber incorporate a wide range of paper and board materials,
cupboards, improving works, moldings, wonderful furniture development
materials, sports hardware, parts for weaving and sewing factories, flooring,
home structure, rayon and different strands, tanning synthetic substances and a
huge number of different items that touch our lives day by day. However as a
result of population explosion and other factors leading to an increased demand
for wood for various purposes, solid wood is becoming increasingly scarce. The
combined effects of deforestation, shrinking forest stock and high consumption
are resulting in an escalating problem which should be of both local and
international concern (Frihart, 2004). Hence, the use of wood has to be controlled
to ensure its continued availability for human consumption and one of the ways
through which this control can be ensured is to find and make use of
technological methods of reducing or minimizing wastes in the wood industry.
Currently, there is significant wastage of timber at every stage of its
production, from harvesting, through the primary and secondary processing.
Timber from products or old buildings that could be re-used is often thrown
away (Frihart, 2004).One of the ways through which wood products could actually
be re-used is through the production of Wood plastic composite especially from
off-cuts, sawdust, shaving, undesired size and undesired dimension, for the
production of wood based panel products. Wood plastic composite as an engineered
wood product offers opportunities to produce large degree of curved shapes for
unlimited flexibility in design with a corresponding increase in mechanical and
physical properties. Statistics obtained from Cross River State Forestry
Commission shows that about 30% of the log from the forest is regarded as waste
right from primary and secondary stages of wood conversion due to poor
silvcultural practice, poor knowledge of forest inventory and mapping,
unskillful machinist in all the stages of wood conversion and inadequate saw
doctoring technology in Nigeria saw mill (Cross River State Forestry
Commission, 1992). Approximately 85% of the ligno-cellulosic material used for
particleboard, chipboard, fibre board, cement board and composite production is
obtained from wood species. The rest consists mainly of seasonal crops such as
flax, bagass, cereal straw and hemp (Adewole, 2012).
This high demand of wood material is what actually
interests the researcher to create a template where, wood material will be utilized
up to 94% of log harvest from Nigeria forest for sustainable forest
conservation program.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Currently high demand for ligno-cellulose materials
for the production of various wood based products ranging from pulp and paper production,
veneer, plywood, particle board, fiber board, wood cement board and wood
composite, etc. has given rise to a high level of deforestation. Within the
production line of wood based products, there are a lot of wastes such as
stump, sawdust, off cut, sub dimension sizes, etc.
Due to the increasing population, more products have
to be developed and manufactured to cater for the need of every human being.
This increases the rate of depletion of forest resources and this gives rise to
global warming. Realizing this, the introduction to curb the problem that
arises, by converting what is referred to as waste to wealth by incorporating
to wood based panel product and composite to meet the increasing demand of wood
based products for the construction industry, manufacturing industry, and
furniture industry for sustainable forest reserve. This research is to showcase
the basic engineering properties of indigenous wood species in the production
of wood plastic composite.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main aim of this study is to develop Wood-plastic
composite (WPC) from mixed particles of Pterocarpus
angolensis and Gmelina arborea
specifically, this study is:
·
To produce Wood Plastic composites (WPC)
from mixed particles of Pterocarpus
angolensis and Gmelina arborea
waste.
·
To determine some physical and mechanical
properties of the manufactured woodplastic composite, namely Moisture Content,
Density, Water Absorption, Compressive strength, Impact strength and Tensile
strength.
·
To determine the effect of particle size
of reinforcement on the strength properties of the manufactured Wood- Plastic
Composites (WPCs).
·
To compare the obtained result with those
of other tested Wood-plastic composites
1.4 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Due to decline of forest resource and the problem of
global warming, this study will seek to produce wood plastic composite from saw
mill waste to meet high demand of composite in the construction industry.
·
The production of this wood-plastic
composite (WPC) will reduce high demand of solid wood from our forest thereby
aid forest resource conservation.
·
With this study, we would have evaluated
the possibility of solving the problem of high cost of wood by using what is
regarded as waste to make wealth.
·
It is also expected that the results of
the various tests carried out on the samples, will give a good evaluation of
strength properties of the composite board and where the composite will be
suitable in engineering design specification.
·
The possibility of integral utilization of
wood from the forest.
1.5 RESEARCH BENEFITS
This research will provide vast knowledge and
information to all future researchers around the world. Some of the benefits
that can be acquired through this research are:-
(a) From the
experiment and tests the result can provide information which answers all or
some doubts regarding to the newly developed wood plastic composite especially
in terms of its properties.
(b) By this
research, new acquired information can encourage more researchers to keep on
improving the composite products as well as develop other new forms of
composite from other indigenous timber species, non ligno-celluloses materials
and locally made adhesive materials.
(c) This research also acts as a guide line for future
researchers to do test as well as develop new composites and testing equipment
to aid the study.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is the production of
wood-plastic composite from mixed particles Pterocarpus
angolensis and Gmelina arbeora
and to determine some Physical and Mechanical properties of the composites.
These properties are: Moisture Content, Density Water Absorption, Compressive
Strength, Impact Strength and Tensile Strength. The mixed species of Pterocarpus angolensis and Gmelina arbeora becomes pertinent as no
work has been carried out on this mixed wood species to my knowledge.
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