Manufacturing method for thermoplastic composites containing wood flour

Laminates of high density polyethylene (HDPE) reinforced with wood flour and long hemp fibres have been manufactured adopting a process consisting of two steps. In the first step, pellets of wood flour/HDPE composite, i.e. wood plastic composite (WPC), were compounded by extrusion; in the second step, laminates of WPC and WPC reinforced with hemp fibres were manufactured by compression molding. The properties of the obtained composite materials, measured by means of flexural tests, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and creep tests, have been compared with the matrix (HDPE) properties. Mechanical properties of the WPC increase with the weight percent of wood flour, but WPC reinforced by unidirectional long hemp fibres present the best properties also at high temperature.