The effect of the chemical modification of wood fibre using salicylic acid and ethanol on the properties of recycled high density polyethylene/wood fibre composites

The effect of the chemical modification of wood fibre (wf) using salicylic acid/ethanol on the tensile properties,water absorption,thermal degradation and morphology of recycled high density polyethylene/wf (rhdpe/wf) composites was studied. both of the composites: rhdpe/wf and rhdpe/wfm (modified with salicylic acid and ethanol) were prepared using a brabender plasticorder at 160°c with a rotor speed of 50 rpm. the results indicate that the rhdpe/wfm composite has a greater tensile strength,a higher modulus of elasticity,greater thermal stability,greater resistance to water absorption and a lower elongation at break than the rhdpe/wf composite. sem micrographs show that better interfacial adhesion occurs between the wf phase modified with salicylic acid and ethanol (wfm) and the rhdpe phase in the rhdpe/wfm composite. © penerbit universiti sains malaysia,2016.