Mechanical and Thermal Performance of Coextruded Wood Plastic Composites for Structural Applications

作者：Xiong, Wen^*; Wu, Qinglin; Cai, C. S.

来源：Advances in Structural Engineering, 2013, 16(5): 909-929.

DOI：10.1260/1369-4332.16.5.909

• wood plastic composites (WPCs)
• co-extrusion techniques
• mechanical performance
• thermal performance
• section design
• structural applications

Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs) are a new generation of green composites that contain thermoplastics and wood/natural fibres in various forms, which can come mostly from recycled materials. Using co-extrusion techniques, WPCs show good moisture resistance, economical cost, and recycling performance. However, as structural engineering components, they have a relatively low modulus of elasticity and low strength because of their macromolecular nature. A detailed investigation on WPC mechanical performance is therefore highly desirable before their wide structural applications. In this study, an advanced manufacturing system for producing coextruded WPCs with a core-shell structure and continuous fibre reinforcement was firstly introduced. Based on the products manufactured using this system, a series of laboratory experiments were carried out. Then for better understanding the mechanical performance, especially stiffness and strength, a series of parametric studies were conducted by varying the geometric parameters for both basic coextruded WPCs and advanced coextruded WPCs with continuous fibre reinforcement. A numerical pullout test for the continuous fibre was also included. A comprehensive thermal study of thermal expansion, temperature distribution, and thermal-induced stress distribution were also carried out to demonstrate the fundamental thermal characteristics of the coextruded WPCs. Based on the analysis, section design optimization taking both mechanical and thermal viewpoints into account is finally given. It can be concluded that the coextruded WPCs can achieve good mechanical and thermal performances through an optimized design and are well suited to practical structural engineering application.

• 出版日期2013-5
• 单位东南大学