Effect of Lignocellulosic Type on Long-Term Hygroscopic Behavior of Natural Filler/HDPE Composites
(133-132) Journal of Polymers and the Environment 19 #1 (2011)
Zabihzadeh of the Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Iran, prepared natural filler/high density polyethylene (HDPE) injection-molded composites of flour from different lignocellulosic sources and studied their long-term water absorption and thickness swelling.  Filler samples from wheat straw, hybrid Euro-American poplar, and loblolly pine were mixed with the matrix at 35 wt% lignocellulosics content and either zero or 2% maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) as compatibilizer. Results indicated water absorption of all the composites followed the kinetics of a Fickian diffusion process.  The wheat straw composites showed the highest and the pine composites exhibited the lowest water absorption coefficients.  (RDC 4/22/2011)