Viscoelastic Characterization of Wood Flour-Polypropylene Hybrid Composites by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis

Abstract

The objective of this work is to investigate the production of an eco-friendly biocomposite by adding Wood Flour (WF) from softwoods and conifers to a polypropylene (PP) matrix. Composites were created by combining wood flour with polypropylene in ratios of 95:5, 90:10, and 80:20 (PP:WF) by weight. The study evaluated the dynamic mechanical properties of polypropylene-wood flour composites, including storage modulus and loss modulus, to assess variations in stiffness, energy dissipation, and damping capacity. The composites were analyzed using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The addition of wood flour to pure polypropylene significantly increased the damping factor, which measures the ratio between loss modulus and storage modulus. This indicates a significant impact on the mechanical strength and tensile elastic modulus of the composites. The results demonstrate that wood flour is an effective reinforcement for polymer composites, providing a sustainable alternative to conventional materials. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to investigate the chemical structure of the polypropylene/wood flour biocomposites. This technique records the absorption of infrared radiation by molecular bonds and produces spectra that act as a characteristic of the material.