A comprehensive, practical guide to wood-plastic composites and their properties
This is the first book that presents an overview of the main principles underlying the composition of wood-plastic composite (WPC) materials and their performance in the real world. Focusing on the characteristics of WPC materials rather than their manufacture, this guide bridges the gap between laboratory-based research and testing and the properties WPC materials exhibit when they're used in decks, railing systems, fences, and other common applications. Complete with practical examples and case studies, this guide:
Describes compositions of WPC materials, including thermoplastics, cellulose fiber, minerals, additives, and their properties
Covers mechanical properties, microbial resistance, water absorption, flammability, slip resistance, thermal expansion-contraction, sensitivity to oxidation and solar radiation, and rheological properties of hot melts of WPC
Covers subjects that determine esthetics, properties, performance, and durability of wood-plastic composite products
Includes comparisons of different ASTM methods and procedures that apply to specific properties
This is a comprehensive, hands-on reference for scientists, engineers, and researchers working with wood-plastic composites in plastics and polymers, materials science, microbiology, rheology, plastic technology, and chemical engineering, as well as an outstanding text for graduate students in these disciplines. It's also an excellent resource for suppliers and WPC manufacturers, and an accessible guide for developers, homebuilders, and landscape architects who want to know more about wood-plastic composites and their performance in the real world.
Let us take a look at a generic wood-plastic composite (WPC) deck, preferably of a premium quality. What should be done in order to avoid the deck owner complaints and, god forbid, a lawsuit? Which properties of the deck should we consider, in order to extend its lifetime as much as possible, preferably longer than that of a common pressure-treated lumber deck? In other words, what is required to make a material that is both durable enough to meet the warranty guidelines and at the same time cost-efficitive to be competitive in the marketplace? What can happen to the WPC deck in use, and how to prevent it? Which properties of the composite material should we aim at, what should we study in that regard, what should we test and how, what should we optimize in order to make a premium product, or, at least-for a less ambitious manufacturer-to pass the building code?
These are the questions considered in this book.
Now, let us consider a WPC deck. In a simple case, it is assembled with boards, made of a composite m ... read full excerpt from Wood-Plastic Composites ebook
