A study of surface changes of wood-polypropylene composites as the result of exterior weathering

Outdoor applications of composites raised questions about their durability. In this study, the effects of outdoor weathering on the properties of wood-polypropylene composites with and without pigments were examined. The composites were placed outdoors for one year, and their colour changes were evaluated after 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of weathering. The weathering resulted in considerable colour fading of the composites. Composites containing darker colour pigments had better colour stability. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that surface cracks caused by weathering in a wood-polypropylene composite having a higher polypropylene content were less abundant, and the deterioration of the surface layer was lower compared to composites containing less polymer. Measurements of melting temperatures by differential scanning calorimetry gave a consistent picture of polypropylene degradation in the surface layer. After weathering, a decrease in Charpy impact strength was found for composites characterised by higher moisture absorption. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.