A coupling agent is a chemical substance that can "couple" two substances with different properties. In wood-plastic composites, the coupling agent acts like a bridge, connecting wood and plastic, two materials with very different properties.
1. Enhance the interface bonding force: Wood is hydrophilic, while plastic is hydrophobic. When these two materials are combined, the interface bonding force is very weak due to the large difference in properties. Coupling agents can chemically react with wood and plastic at the same time to form chemical bonds, thereby greatly enhancing the interface bonding force between the two.
2. Improve material properties: Due to the reinforcing effect of coupling agents, the mechanical properties, water resistance, weather resistance, etc. of wood-plastic composite materials will be significantly improved. This makes wood-plastic composite materials widely used in outdoor furniture, building formwork and other fields.
3. Improve processing performance: Coupling agents can reduce the viscosity of wood-plastic composites during processing, making them easier to plasticize and extrud. This not only improves production efficiency but also reduces energy consumption.
Although coupling agents play an important role in wood plastic production, they are not commonly used in our daily lives. In fact, many high-tech products or processes are inseparable from the help of coupling agents. For example, some high-performance composite materials, coatings, adhesives, etc. may use coupling agents to improve their performance.
