Characterization of Wood Plastic Composites Made of Rice Straw and Recycled Low-Density Polyethylene

Authors

Waleed Mohamed Hassona Dr., Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, EgyptFollow
Ahmed Elkassas, Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, Tanta, EgyptFollow
Nader Zaafarani, Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Faculty of Engineering, Tanta UniversityFollow

Abstract

In this work, the physical and mechanical properties of a fabricated wood-plastic composite (WPC) in accordance with the internationally recognized standard are investigated. The wood-plastic composite is made from recycled low-density polyethylene and mechanically processed rice straw fibers by using a specially designed extrusion machine. From the physical test, it was found that the newly developed WPC has low water absorption and thickness swelling compared to the standard limits. The mechanical tests revealed an improvement of the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity by the increase of fiber content to 65%. The highest recorded values of the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity were 27.5 MPa and 4262 MPa, respectively. This confirms the efficiency of the wood plastic composite produced from mechanically treated rice straw and recycled polyethylene, allowing it to be used in various applications.

Recommended Citation

Hassona, Waleed Mohamed Dr.; Elkassas, Ahmed; and Zaafarani, Nader (2024) "Characterization of Wood Plastic Composites Made of Rice Straw and Recycled Low-Density Polyethylene," Journal of Engineering Research: Vol. 8: Iss. 4, Article 16.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/erjeng/vol8/iss4/16