Farklı Boyutlardaki Cam Elyaf Tozu ile Takviye Edilmiş DYPE Esaslı Odun Plastik Kompozitlerin Termal ve Yanıcılık Karakterizasyonu

Abstract

Odun plastik kompozitler (OPK), inşaat ve altyapı uygulamalarında yaygın olarak kullanılsa da yapısal açıdan yanıcılıkları önemli bir sorun teşkil etmeye devam etmektedir. Termal davranışı iyileştirmek için sürekli elyaflar araştırılmış olsa da ince partikül formundaki inorganik dolguların termal difüzyon yollarına etkileri nispeten sınırlıdır. Bu çalışma, alternatif bir takviye dolgu maddesi olarak mikron boyutunda cam elyaf tozu kullanımının, düşük yoğunluklu polietilen (DYPE) bazlı OPK'ların ısıl kararlılığını ve yangın direncini geliştirme potansiyelini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Kompozit paneller; dolgu malzemesi olarak sarıçam odun unu, termoplastik bağlayıcı olarak DYPE kullanılarak üretilmiştir. Takviye dolgu maddesi olarak farklı konsantrasyonlarda (%5-%30) ve uzunluklarda (100 μm ve 200 μm) cam elyaf tozu kullanılmıştır. Dolgu malzemeleri ve termoplastik polimer arasındaki bağlanmayı iyileştirmek için uyumlaştırıcı ajanı olarak maleik anhidrit aşılı polietilen (MAPE) kullanılmıştır. Kompozitlerin termal davranışları termogravimetrik analiz (TGA) ile, tutuşma dirençleri ise limit oksijen indeksi (LOI) testi ile değerlendirilmiştir. TGA sonuçları, cam elyaf tozu takviyesinin bir fiziksel bariyer etkisi oluşturarak OPK’ların ısıl kararlılığını iyileştirdiğini ve özellikle dolgu içeriği arttıkça bozunma başlangıç sıcaklığını (T_onset) daha yüksek değerlere ötelediğini ortaya koymuştur. 200 μm uzunluğundaki elyafları içeren formülasyonların ara konsantrasyonlarda sergilediği daha yüksek başlangıç sıcaklıkları, büyük partiküllerin en-boy oranına bağlı potansiyel olarak daha etkin kalkanlama kabiliyeti ile ilişkili olabileceği düşünülmektedir. Nihai inorganik kalıntı miktarı, kontrol grubu OPK' da %2,59 iken, %30 takviyeli varyasyonlarda yaklaşık %31,03'e yükselmiştir. Bu bulgularla paralel olarak LOI değerleri; saf DYPE için %18 ve kontrol grubu OPK için %23 iken, takviyeli kompozitlerde %24 seviyesine ulaşmıştır. Bu sonuçlar, cam elyaf tozunun OPK’ların ısıl kararlılığını ve tutuşma direncini geliştirmek için maliyet etkin bir katkı maddesi seçeneği olabileceğini göstermektedir.  

Keywords

• Odun plastik kompozitler
• cam elyaf tozu
• termogravimetrik analiz
• limit oksijen indeksi
• yangın geciktiricilik
• ısıl kararlılık

Thermal and Flammability Characterization of LDPE Based Wood Plastic Composites Reinforced With Variable Size Glass Fiber Powders

Abstract

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 (T_onset) 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. 

Keywords

• Wood plastic composites
• glass fiber powder
• thermogravimetric analysis
• limiting oxygen index
• fire retardancy

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