The influence of fiber lignin content on mechanical properties of wood fiber-polypropylene composites

The influence of fiber lignin content and the dosage of coupling agent on the strength and physical properties of cellulosic fiber-polypropylene composite were investigated. The old corrugated container (OCC) fibers were delignified using sodium hydroxide to reach the lignin content of 2.7, 3.78, 5.26 and 7%. Fibers were compounded with polypropylene by extrusion process using 20% fibers and 77% PP and the extrudate was cooled and grinded to fine granulates before injection molding. MAPP coupling agent was applied at three different levels (1, 2 and 3 percent based on the total weight of the composite). The strength properties of the composites were measured using relevant ASTM test methods and the results were statistically analyzed using factorial experiment under complete randomized design. The impact of fiber lignin content of flexural strength of composite was statistically significant at 98 percent significance level and the lowest and highest values of flexural strength of composite were measured at 3.78 percent and 7 percent lignin content of fiber. The interactive effect of fiber lignin and MAPP on the tensile strength and flexural modulus of elasticity of the composite showed that at lower values of lignin and higher dosage of MAPP, these properties are 38.7 and 3438 MPa respectively. Other strength values of the composites were also improved and at lower content of lignin and increaing dosages of the MAPP, the impact strength of the composites was increased from 52.82 J/m to 60.26 J/m