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Thermal and Flammability Characterization of LDPE Based Wood Plastic Composites Reinforced With Variable Size Glass Fiber Powders
Summary
Scientists found that adding tiny glass fiber powder to wood-plastic composites (common in decking and building materials) makes them harder to catch fire and more resistant to heat damage, without needing expensive alternatives. This matters because safer, more fire-resistant building materials could reduce fire risks in homes and construction, though this study focused on material performance rather than testing effects on human health directly.
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) are commercially utilized in building and infrastructure applications; however, their inherent flammability remains a significant concern. While continuous fiber has been investigated to improve thermal behaviour, the effects of fine particulate inorganic fillers on thermal diffusion pathways remain relatively limited. This study aims to evaluate the potential of enhancing the thermal stability and fire resistance of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) based WPCs by incorporating micro-sized glass fiber powder as a reinforcing filler option. WPC panels were manufactured using Scots pine wood flour, LDPE powder, and a maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) coupling agent, with varying concentrations (5% to 30%) and lengths (100 μm and 200 μm) of glass fiber powder. The thermal behavior of the composites was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while ignition resistance was assessed via the limiting oxygen index (LOI) test.TGA results revealed that glass fiber powder reinforcement improved the thermal stability of the WPCs by contributing to a physical barrier effect, particularly shifting the onset degradation temperature (Tonset) to higher values as filler content increased. Formulations containing 200 μm fibers demonstrated enhanced shielding ability at intermediate concentrations, which is suggested to originate from a potentially higher aspect ratio of the larger particles within the polymer matrix. The final inorganic residue increased from 2.59% in the control WPC to approximately 31.03% in the 30% reinforced variations. Correlating with these findings, LOI values rose from 18% for neat LDPE and 23% for the control WPC to a value of 24% for the reinforced composites. The results suggest that the glass fiber powder can serve as a cost-effective additive for improving the thermal stability and ignition resistance of WPCs.