TY - JOUR AU - O. Adefisan, Olufemi AU - G. McDonald, Armando PY - 2019/01/01 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Evaluation of the strength, sorption and thermal properties of bamboo plastic composites JF - Maderas-Cienc Tecnol JA - Maderas-Cienc Tecnol VL - 21 IS - 1 SE - Article DO - UR - https://revistas.ubiobio.cl/index.php/MCT/article/view/3273 SP - 3-14 AB - <p>Natural fiber plastic composites were made from Nigerian grown bamboo (<em>Bambusa vulgaris</em>) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) by extrusion and evaluated for strength, sorption and thermal properties. Composites were manufactured using two different screened bamboo particle size fractions (&lt;2 mm and &lt; 0.5 mm). The composites were tested for flexural properties, water sorption, melt flow and thermal properties. The melt viscosities at 190<sup>o</sup>C were 22.3 ± 0.91 kPa·s (&lt;2 mm) and 27.4 ± 1.2 kPa·s (&lt;0.5 mm). The results obtained indicated that the composites made with the smaller particle size fraction had higher flexural strength (37.4 ± 1.0 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (2.0 ± 0.2 GPa) than those made with the larger particle size fraction (29.9 ± 1.1 MPa and 1.7 ± 0.1 GPa). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) also showed higher dynamic storage modulus for the &lt;0.5 mm particle-based composites than those made from the &lt;2 mm particle size fraction &nbsp;due to higher density and better interfacial interaction between the fiber and matrix. Also, the composites made with the smaller particles and were more dimensionally stable (water absorption of 5.4% versus 18.5% at 61 d). The bamboo composites had thermal stablility range of 265 – 279<sup>o</sup>C (onset degradation temperature). The composites made with the smaller bamboo particles possessed the better properties in comparison with those made from the &lt;2 mm.&nbsp; Particle size and density significantly affected the mechanical, physical, thermal and rheological properties of the composites evaluated.</p> ER -