Wood-Polymer Composites

Book excerpt: Wood-polymer composites (WPC) are materials in which wood is impregnated with monomers that are then polymerised in the wood to tailor the material for special applications. The resulting properties of these materials, from lightness and enhanced mechanical properties to greater sustainability, has meant a growing number of applications in such areas as building, construction and automotive engineering. This important book reviews the manufacture of wood-polymer composites, how their properties can be assessed and improved and their range of uses.After an introductory chapter, the book reviews key aspects of manufacture, including raw materials, manufacturing technologies and interactions between wood and synthetic polymers. Building on this foundation, the following group of chapters discusses mechanical and other properties such as durability, creep behaviour and processing performance. The book concludes by looking at orientated wood-polymer composites, wood-polymer composite foams, at ways of assessing performance and at the range of current and future applications.With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Wood-polymer composites is a valuable reference for all those using and studying these important materials. - Provides a comprehensive survey of major new developments in wood-polymer composites - Reviews the key aspects of manufacture, including raw materials and manufacturing technologies - Discusses properties such as durability, creep behaviour and processing performance