Enhancement of wood filled polymer by microwave induced heat treatment

• Published in: Materials today : proceedings 2024, Vol.103, p.203-209
• Main Authors: Subasinghe, M.P.M., Soon, Kok Heng, Ko, Rudy Vui Keong, Jayamani, Elammaran, Choo, Hui Leng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: HDPE (High Density Polyethylene); Mechanical properties; Microwave heating; WPC (Wood Polymer Composite)
• ISSN: 2214-7853; 2214-7853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2023.08.258

A domestic microwave oven was modified using a thermocouple to measure temperature while heating to experiment the effect of microwave irradiation on Meranti wood. The main aspect of this research paper would be to evaluate the performance of heating on how it affects the wood by microwave irradiation. Wood is the testing specimen of this control system. The purpose of this study was to see if the microwave drying method had an effect on young’s moduli, tensile strength, and permeability. The results of the experimental tests demonstrate that Young's moduli increased as wood powder volume increased. The samples with 10 wt% of microwave-treated wood powder had the highest elasticity modulus, tensile strength and permeability of 4043 MPa, 15.41 MPa and 24.43% respectively. It was followed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and followed by SEM (Scanning electron microscope analysis). Microwave treated wood at high intensities increased the elastic modulus and tensile strength by deeply impregnating the wood into the composite, according to morphological analysis performed using SEM.