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Abstract

The study is designed to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of Wood Plastic Composite Boards from Funtumia Africana Sawdust with Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Chips using locally fabricated extruding machine at temperature of about 170⁰C - 200⁰C. The production variables investigated were pre-treatment of sawdust with cold water for 2 days in order to eliminate water soluble extractives which could inhibit the strength properties and proper formation of WPC. The wastes generated were dried to about 5% moisture content, wood waste content at five plastic replacement levels (50%, 40%, 30%, 20% and 10%) and plastic wastes content at five wood replacement levels (2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%) respectively. The wood plastic composite (WPC) were tested for Water absorption (WA), thickness swelling (TS), density (ρ), noise absorption (NL), specific gravity (SG), modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR) and impact bending strength (IB). The water absorption ranged between 0.20% to 8.33%, TS (0.09% to 4.55%), Density (0.9 x 10³ Kg/m³ to 1.2 x 10³ Kg/m³), NA (65 dB^A to 70 dB^A), SG (0.78 to 1.17), MOE (624 N/mm² to 281 N/mm²), MOR (1.85 N/mm² to 4.5 N/mm²) and IB (7.06 J/m² to 56.44 J/m²). The results revealed that physical properties such as water absorption and thickness swelling increases as the wood content increases, while; density, noise absorption and specific gravity decrease with increase in wood content. Strength properties of WPC such as impact, MOE and MOR decreases as the wood content increases.