Wood Plastic Composites An Overview

1. Wood Plastic Composites An Overview

2. Presentation Outline • Introduction to Wood Plastic Composites • Historical Development • Milestones in Commercialization • Technology Status • Benefits of wood plastic composites • Applications • Future markets & business opportunities

3. Definition Wood Plastic Composite ( WPC ) Any composite that contains wood & thermoset or thermoplastic Thermoset : Epoxy , Phenolics Thermoplastics: PE, PP, PVC, PS

4. Introduction • First Generation WPCs Recycled woodchips / flour & binder Designed for undemanding applications • New Generation WPCs High Performance products Good mechanicals High dimensional stability Complex shapes Extruded products with high dimensional tolerance

5. Introduction “The new generation WPCs are produced by mixing wood flour or fiber & plastics to produce a material that can be processed like a conventional plastic & has the best features of wood & plastic”

6. Plastic Lumber • Recycled Plastics • Extruded profiles • May / may not include wood flour • Application – Sleepers on rail roads

7. Historical Perspectives • 1900 : Bakelite ( Gear shift knobs for Rolls Royce) • 1920: Birth of the WPC industry Marriage of plastic processing & forest products industry

8. Initial Impediments to Growth • Forest Product Industry Viewpoints • Alien to Plastic materials • Few common material & equipment suppliers • Only exposure to vinyl sidings • Lack of Market Knowledge & application areas • Plastic Industry Viewpoints • Conversant withmineral fillers & reinforcements • Aversion to wood & natural fibers

9. Wood as a filler: Plastic Industry’s Viewpoints • Low bulk density of wood flour vis-a vis plastics ( 0.5) • Low specific gravity of wood • Low thermal stability of wood • Tendency to absorb moisture

10. The Turn AroundThe last decade saw • Greater awareness from both sides • Success of several WPC products • Greater understanding of wood filler • Developments in compounding equipments • Development in additives • Emerging opportunities in large volume building application sector

11. Forest Products Industry: Change in Perception • WPCs :Products with little maintenance • Low maintenance : USP Of WPCs • Forest Product companies : Suppliers of WPCs Synergize knowledge of wood flour & core competence in building products

12. Milestones in The Commercialization Of WPCs

13. Technology Status of WPCs Market Potential • Global market size : 320,000MT in 2000 • Expected Volume : More than double in 2005 Wood Filled Composites Natural Fiber Filled Composites

14. Technology Status Of WPCsMaterial Attributes

15. Technology Status Of WPCsPolymer Attributes Selection of Thermoplastic matrix * Inherent properties of polymer * Product requirements * Availability * Cost

16. Technology Status Of WPCsAttributes of wood • Wood flour : Particulate, l/d 2:1 to 4:1 • Wood fiber : Reinforcing, l/d greater than 24:1 • Commonly used species : Pine, Maple Oak • Typical particle size : 10 to 80 mesh • Price : Indian Rs. 15 to 20/- per Kg • Price : Imported Rs. 35 to 45/-per Kg

17. Technology Status Of WPCsManufacture & Processing • Two stage Process: Compounded pellets & shaping • Commonly Used processing Techniques Sheets & profile extrusion Thermoforming Compression Molding Injection Molding • New Trend In-Line Compounding & Processing

18. Salient Features of Extrusion of WPCs • Two stage Process - compound & shaping • Two Extruders in tandem Twin screw Compounding and shaping

19. Extrusion of WPCs

20. New Developments In Equipments • American Maplan Corp : Counter rotating TSE, conical & parallel for direct extrusion • Woodtruder American Davis Standard ( Crompton): First Stage drying extruder & side arm extruder for injection of polymer melt into the main extruder. Up to 80 % wood flour • Wilmington Machinery: 375 tons two stage injection molding for foamed WPCs

21. Manufacturing Wood / PP Composites

22. Machinery For Wood PP Composites

23. Additive Developments Aid Growth of WPCs • Tailor-made lubricants • Non stearate & compatibilizer package • Special HALS • Antimicrobials • Blowing agents

24. Wood Filled PP

25. Application Benefits • Improved dimensional stability - increased strength • Lower processing temperatures - less energy used • Increased heat deflection temperature - reduced thermal expansion • Up to 30% reduced cycle time for injection moulded products - increased productivity • Approximately 10 - 20% lower specific gravity - lighter products • Reduced shrinkage - lower internal shear in pultrusion application • Low volumetric cost

26. ConventionalFillers Vs Wood Filler AWF Wood Flour Weight Savings Specific Gravity 40% Filled Resin - Polypropylene Flexural MOE Versus % Wood Flour

27. Wood Filled PP Products

28. Wood Filled PP Products

29. Wood Filled PP Products

30. Foaming Expands Possibilities For Wood Fibre / PP Composites

31. Foaming Expands Possibilities For Wood Fibre / PP Composites

32. Breakthrough Technology“Plastic Steel from Wood Filled PP” • Expanded Oriented Wood filled PP • Low temperature die drawing • Synthetic Hardwood Technologies USA • Automotive side beams • Wood look – alike Product Flexural Modulus ( M Pa ) PP 1800 EOW PP 7585

33. ‘Plastics Steel’ Die Drawing Makes From Wood Filled PP Ram extrusion of PP / wood filled creates light weight wood-like material, even stronger than wood

34. Wood Fibre Adds Stiffness & Value To Tight Tolerance Tubes

35. Polypropylene Developments Wood Filled Repol PP for Door Trims

36. PVC / Wood Composites

37. Outlook For The Future • USA: 50 % growth rate of WPCs for building products • ASTM Standards for building products based on WPCs • Automotive : 15 % growth rate Innovation in processing & product performance

38. Summary