Wood-plastic composites | materials feature
Wood working well: advances in WPCs
Decking is still the dominant application for wood-plastic
Although the USA and – increasingly – China are the dominant users of wood-plastic composites (WPCs), the materials are gaining in popularity in a number of other regions too. Recently, for instance, WPCs played a central part in a
new marina development in Dubai. The Jumeirah Corniche, a 14km stretch of land along the beachfront, was redeveloped using 91,000kg – equivalent to 167,000m – of WPC decking, made by Trex in the US and transport- ed to Dubai. The decking was installed within 30 days. Barry John Davis, managing director of UK-based
DPDS International, which was involved in the project, told delegates at this year’s Wood-Plastic Composites conference: “There still remains a massive void in the market for education on WPC products and materials at every level.”
Malaysia has also increased its use of WPCs in the
last 10 years, according to Yeoh Beng Hoong, senior assistant director at the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB).
He said that, in 2015, imports of WPC products
topped $1m for the first time – leading to domestic sales of nearly $6m. The main markets for the products are building and
construction, automotive and industrial. “In recent years, the growth of WPC materials has
accelerated, and has further room for expansion,” he said. Between 2010 and 2015, imports of WPCs more than
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composites (WPCs) – and these are expanding as researchers identify more sophisticated materials technologies
doubled, he told delegates at the conference, which was organised by Applied Market Information.
Flame retardancy Arne Schirp, project leader at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research (WKI), told delegates how the pan-European Hifivent project has developed a range of flame retardant WPCs. Researchers used two approaches: thermomechani-
cal pulp (TMP), because flame retardants could be added to it continuously; and rice husks, as they contain high levels of inorganic, non-flammable material (silica). In the TMP method, two Clariant flame retardants
are incorporated into the wood fibres, and used in a variety of WPC formulations – all of which used 50% TMP or wood particle content. One additive, ammonium polyphosphate (APP),
helped to create phosphoric acid at high temperatures – which promotes charring rather than burning. Pellets made with the TMP-based material could be extruded
November/December 2016 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 13 Dubai’s Jumeirah
Corniche uses WPCs on a
14km stretch of beachfront
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