Efficiency of carbon nanostructures in the composition of wood-polymer composites based on polyvinyl chloride

Abstract

Introduction. The most effective binding agents in wood-polymer composites based on polyvinyl chloride are carbon-containing nanostructures, which improve the electrical, physical-mechanical, rheological properties, as well as the structure and durability of the composites. Their main disadvantage is a high degree of particle aggregation, which makes it difficult to mix and process them in polymer compositions. In this regard, an urgent task is to search for such carbon nanomodifiers that would have a low degree of aggregation and low cost. Methods and materials. The paper studies the effectiveness of mechanically activated petroleum cokes as binding agents in building wood-polymer composites based on polyvinyl chloride. Mechanical activation leads to the functionalization of carbon particles of coke with the formation of oxygen-containing groups on the surface. The effect of various amounts of coke (up to 10% of the mass of wood flour) is considered and the relationship between the nature of coke and their concentration in the polymer compositions with the main technological (melt flow) and operational (tensile and bending strength, high elasticity modulus, hardness, water absorption and thermal stability) indicators and supramolecular structure of wood-polymer composites has been identified. Results and discussion. With the introduction of cokes, a high degree of orientation of the supramolecular structures of the composites in the direction of extrusion of the samples is observed, which leads to an increase in the breaking strength and bending strength, as well as the high elasticity modulus. The optimal concentration of additives was determined from 0.1 to 5%. In relation to wood flour, the amount of which in the wood-polymer composition is 50 mass parts per 100 mass parts PVC. Conclusion. The introduction of mechanically activated petroleum cokes as binding agents in wood-polymer composites based on polyvinyl chloride has been carried out. Mechanical activation made it possible to reduce the aggregation of coke particles into larger agglomerates, which makes it possible to efficiently introduce the nanomodifier in dry form and to exclude the introduction of nanomodifier in the form of aqueous dispersions, which is a rather energy-intensive production operation.