Alternative Production Methods for Lignocellulosic Composite Materials

Abstract

This article investigates two different production methods and feasibility in practical application of alternative lignocellulosic (LC) polymer composites. In the first method, LC is conditioned in the sodium sulfite solution before the extrusion process. The second method is based on preparing polymer solution using xylene. As experimental results, xylene consumption was found to be over practical limits and it also required simultaneous mixing to homogenize the composite material, which increases overall costs of the system, besides volatile material xylene had cancer-causing affect. The rheological characteristics of the LC composite obtained by the second method has been improved as compared to virgin polyethylene. However, the difficulty experienced in increasing LC percentage and excess inorganic oxides found in the LC's structure were determined as the negative affects of the second method.