Replacing virgin polymers in wood-plastic composites with mixed waste plastics

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the effect of replacing virgin polymers in wood-polymer composites with mixed waste plastics recycled from municipal solid waste streams and considering new composite’s mechanical properties in terms of tensile and impact strength, durability regarding moisture resistance, dimensional stability, microstructure analysis and extra considerations acquired through the literature review. The results of this study are actual results carried out from mechanical tests to find an ideal material composed of mixed-waste plastics from municipal solid waste (MSW) streams in wood plastic composites (WPCs), with the purpose of reducing the consumption of non-renewable oil-based virgin polymers. The entire examinations been done at LUT (Lappeenranta University of Technology) fiber composite laboratory following engineering standard conditions, and obtained outcomes are precisely used and compared. The final aspect of such recycled materials is for translating them to actual products, and for the purpose of further investigation