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Wood thermoplastic composites

Formally Refereed

Abstract

The wood industry can expand into new sustainable markets with the formation of a new class of composites with the marriage of the wood industry and the plastics industry. The wood component, usually a flour or fiber, is combined with a thermoplastic to form an extrudable, injectable or thermoformable composite that can be used in many non-structural applications.

Keywords

Wood-plastic composites, thermoplastic composites, extrusion process, injection molding of plastics, composite materials, moisture, wood flour, fiber-reinforced plastics, fibrous composites, cellulose fibers, plant fibers, fibers, forest products industry, economic aspects, forest products, sustainable forestry, mechanical properties, weathering, thermal properties, marketing, market surveys, wood-plastic materials

Citation

Caulfield, Daniel F.; Clemons, Craig; Rowell, Roger M. 2010. Wood thermoplastic composites. Sustainable development in the forest products industry, Chapter 6. Porto, Portugal : Universidade Fernando Pessoa, 2010: p. 141-161: ISBN: 9789896430528.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/37349