THE INFLUENCE OF PUMICE DUST ON TENSILE, STIFFNESS PROPERTIES AND FLAME RETARDANT OF EPOXY/ WOOD FLOUR COMPOSITES.

This study evaluated the mechanical and flammability properties of wood plastic composite panels made from pumice powder formulations, using a conventional hand lay up method under laboratory conditions. Wood flour was stirred with pumice in order to improve the mechanical properties of the wood flour-epoxy composites. Five levels of pumice powder, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 50%, based on the composition by weight, were mixed with the wood flour. The tensile strength of the composites prepared with pumice stirred wood flour were found to increase substantially compared to those of unstirred ones. The tensile and stiffness strength of the composites improved with increasing pumice powder content, up to 50% weight. The effect of pumice on the flammability properties of wood plastic composites (WPCs) was also investigated. Flammability properties of composites decreased with addition of pumice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]