Materials and interface design in semi-structural and eco-friendly wood fiber biocomposites

Research Project, 2019 – 2022

The overall theme of the project is high fiber content materials. One motivation is that mechanical and physical properties of wood fibers are much better than for isotropic polymer matrices. The renewable resource origin is another argument in favor of efforts to increase
the content of wood-based components in biocomposites. For melt-processing, there are constraints due to the need for melt flow properties.  Injection molded biocomposites therefore rarely exceed 40 wt% of wood fibers, and the corresponding number for extruded
profiles is around 50 wt%. Challenges include processability and lowered strength properties.