Effect of Particle Size and Species Type on the Withdrawal Resistance to Screws and Nails in Wood Sawdust – High Density Polyethylene Composites

Abstract

The effects of particle size and species type were evaluated relative to the resistance to screwing and nailing of wood-plastic composites (WPC) made from the sawdust of pine, beech, poplar, and mixtures of these species (40%, 20%, and 40%, respectively), as well as alder species with a high-density polyethylene matrix. Wood-plastic composites were made from dried sawdust of the above species, after sizing to a weight ratio of 70% as filler with high-density polyethylene (HDP) by discontinuous pressing at a temperature of 185 °C, in two particle sizes of 40- and 80-mesh. Maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) was used as a coupling agent. Then, their resistance to screw and nail penetration was measured and compared according to the BS EN 1382 (2016) standard. With increasing particle size in all species, the resistance to screwing and nailing decreased significantly by about 2 to 13%. There were obvious differences between the resistance to screwing and nailing of the species, but these differences were not significant, and the resistances of the mixtures were near to the averages for these species.