Preparation of soft wood-plastic composites

To extend the applications of wood-plastic composites (WPCs), soft WPCs were prepared with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and wood flour (WF) as major components via a two-step process involving two-roll mixing and compression molding. The effect of the various factors, such as WF, unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), and dicumyl peroxide contents, on the mechanical properties, processability, and morphology of the WPCs was investigated in detail. The addition of UFA could effectively improve the processability and flexibility of the composites. The insitu grafting reaction between UFA and EVA considerably improved the adhesion of the WF and resin matrix. Consequently, soft WPCs with good performances in flexibility and processability were successfully obtained. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013