Mechanical and Physical Characteristics of Cellulose-Fiber-Filled Polyacetal Composites

We investigated the mechanical and physical characteristics of composites composed of polyacetal [alternatively called polyoxymethylene (POM)] and cellulose fiber (CelF) derived from wood pulp [10-52 wt% (9.3-50.1 vol%)] without any fiber surface treatment. The modulus, deflection temperature under load, and thermal conduction coefficient of the POM/CelF composites were effectively enhanced with increasing CelF content, and the composites had an advantage of specific modulus compared to glass fiber (GF)-filled POM. The flexural modulus of POM/CelF 40 wt% (38.2 vol%) was measured to be about 6 GPa, which was comparable to that of POM/GF 20 wt% (12.1 vol%). In the composites, the CelFs were distributed randomly as monofilaments, and the debonding of the interface between the fibers and POM matrices in the fracture faces was confirmed as less by scanning electron microscopy observation. The POM/CelF composites possessed lower specific wear rates than the POM/GF composites, and they had damping behaviors near that of neat POM. No clear dependence of the melt flow index of the base POM on these characteristics was observed, except on Charpy impact strength. The composites studied here were unique in their performance and ability to be designed in accordance with specific demands, and they could be potential replacements for mineral-filled and GF-filled POM composites. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 1910-1920, 2010