Optimization of Wood Powder Particle Size and Weight Fraction for Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic Composites Using Recycled EPS Matrix

Cahyo  Budiyantoro; Sudarisman; Aris Widyo  Nugroho; Zaenul  Ilyas; Bastian  Bilyferdin

doi:10.6180/jase.202512_28(12).0019

Optimization of Wood Powder Particle Size and Weight Fraction for Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic Composites Using Recycled EPS Matrix

Cahyo BudiyantoroThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Sudarisman, Aris Widyo Nugroho, Zaenul Ilyas, and Bastian Bilyferdin

Departement of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, 55183, Indonesia

Received: September 13, 2024
Accepted: December 7, 2024
Publication Date: April 24, 2025

Copyright The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are cited.

Download Citation: ||https://doi.org/10.6180/jase.202512_28(12).0019

Indonesia’s abundant wood powder waste is underutilized, much like expanded polystyrene (EPS) plastic waste. This research explores combining wood powder with EPS to produce wood plastic composite (WPC) and examines how different wood powder types affect its mechanical properties. WPC specimens were produced using pine, sengon, and teak wood powders with particle sizes of 20,40 , and 60 mesh and weight fractions of 5%,10%, and 20%. The Taguchi method was employed to design an orthogonal array, and SN/Ratio and ANOVAwereusedtoanalyze the influence of factors on flexural strength and impact toughness. The results show that sengon wood powder with a particle size of 60 mesh and a weight fraction of 20% achieves the highest flexural strength. Meanwhile, sengon wood powder with a 60− mesh size and a 5% weight fraction yields the best impact strength. This study demonstrates the potential for improving WPC properties by using woodwaste as a filler.

Keywords: Wood powder; waste expanded polystyrene; flexural strength; impact strength.

[1] T. Luo and S. Cheng. “The effect of recycled WPC on the performance of composite materials”. In: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 692. 3. 2021. DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/692/3/032092.
[2] B. K. Segerholm, R. E. Ibach, B. K. Segerholm, and R. E. Ibach. “Moisture and Fungal Durability of Wood-Plastic Composites Made With Chemically Modified and Treated Wood Flour”. In: Proceedings IRG Annual Meeting. Stockholm: IRG Organization, 2013, 1–8.
[3] Y. Arnandha, I. Satyarno, A. Awaludin, I. S. Irawati, Y. Prasetya, D. A. Prayitno, D. C. Winata, M.H.Satrio, and A. Amalia, (2017) “Physical and Mechanical Prop erties of WPC Board from Sengon Sawdust and Recycled HDPE Plastic" Procedia Engineering 171: 695–704. DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2017.01.412.
[4] A.Haryanto, W.Hidayat, U.Hasanudin, D.A.Iryani, S. Kim, S. Lee, and J. Yoo, (2021) “Valorization of in donesian wood wastes through pyrolysis: A review" Energies 14(5): 1–25. DOI: 10.3390/en14051407.
[5] Y. Wang. “Mechanical Properties Effect of Wood plastic Composite by Basalt Fiber and MAPE”. In: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 726. 1. Xiamen: IOP Publishing, 2021. DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/726/1/012005.
[6] M. D. Samper, D. Garcia-Sanoguera, F. Parres, and J. López, (2010) “Recycling of expanded polystyrene from packaging" Progress in Rubber, Plastics and Recycling Technology 26(2): 83–92. DOI: 10.1177/147776061002600202.
[7] R. T. Lermen, S. M. de Farias, G. C. Scopel, F. T. Bonsembiante, L. d. N. P. Cordeiro, and R. d. A. Silva, (2023) “Use of expanded polystyrene waste as a substitute for natural sand in coating mortars: evaluation of physical and mechanical properties" CONTRIBUCIONES A LASCIENCIASSOCIALES16(5):2384–2400. DOI: 10.55905/revconv.16n.5-025.
[8] E. Ferede, (2020) “Evaluation of Mechanical and Wa ter Absorption Properties of Alkaline-Treated Sawdust Reinforced Polypropylene Composite" Journal of Engineering 2020(1): 3706176.
[9] H. Xu, Y. Yang, L. Li, B. Liu, X. Fu, X. Yang, and Y. Cao, (2023) “Mechanical Properties Variation in Wood—Plastic Composites with a Mixed Wood Fiber Size" Materials 16(5801): 1–14. DOI: 10.3390/ma16175801.
[10] N.Petchwattana, W. Channuan, P. Naknaen, and B. Narupai, (2019) “3D printing filaments prepared from modified poly(lactic acid)/teak wood flour composites: An investigation on the particle size effects and silane coupling agent compatibilisation" Journal of Physical Science 30(2): 169–188. DOI: 10.21315/jps2019.30.2.10.
[11] S. Darmanto, H. S. Rochardjo, J. ., and R. Widyorini, (2017) “Effects of Steaming and Steam Explosion on Me chanical Properties of Snake Fruit (Salacca) Fiber" International Journal of Engineering and Technology 9(1): 150–157. DOI: 10.21817/ijet/2017/v9i1/ 170901410.
[12] A. Saidah, S. E. Susilowati, and Y. Nofendri, (2019) “Effect of Fiber Loading and Alkali Treatment on Rice Straw Fiber Reinforced Composite for Automotive Bumper Beam Application" International Journal on Ad vanced Science, Engineering and Information Tech nology 9: 1865–1870. DOI: 10.18517/ijaseit.9.6.7006.
[13] C. Budiyantoro and F. Yudhanto, (2023) “Enhancing mechanical properties of waste expanded polystyrene com posites through varied coupling agents and wood powder formulations" Polimesin 21(6): 113–121.
[14] ISO. Plastics — Determination of flexural properties. Tech. rep. Geneva, 2019.
[15] ISO. Plastics — Determination of Charpy impact proper ties. Tech. rep. Genève, 1997.
[16] A. Laknizi, A. Ben Abdellah, M. Mahdaoui, and K. Anoune, (2021) “Application of Taguchi and ANOVA methods in the optimisation of a direct evaporative cooling pad" International Journal of Sustainable Engineer ing 14(5): 1218–1228. DOI: 10.1080/19397038.2020.1866707.
[17] R.Andrés Muñoz. Optimization of Structures and Com ponents. Ed. by A. Öchsner, L. da Silva, and H. Al tenbach. London: Springer, 2013. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-00717-5.
[18] T. Ginghtong, N. Nakpathomkun, and C. Pechyen, (2018) “Effect of injection parameters on mechanical and physical properties of super ultra-thin wall propylene pack aging by Taguchi method" Results in Physics 9: 987–995.
[19] S.-Y. Leu, T.-H. Yang, S.-F. Lo, and T.-H. Yang, (2012) “Optimized material composition to improve the physical and mechanical properties of extruded wood–plastic composites (WPCs)" Construction and Building Materials 29: 120–127.
[20] C.GozdeckiandA.Wilczy´ nski,(2015)“Effects of wood particle size and test specimen size on mechanical and water resistance properties of injected wood-high density polyethylene composite" Wood and Fiber Science 47(4): 365–374.
[21] M.Ashrafi, A. Vaziri, and H. Nayeb-Hashemi, (2011) “Effect of processing variables and fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties of wood plastic composites" 30(23): 1939–1945. DOI: 10.1177/0731684411431120.
[22] P. Bangert. Optimization for Industrial Problems. Bre men: Springer, 2012. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-24974-7.
[23] A. N. Mustapha, Y. Zhang, Z. Zhang, Y. Ding, Q. Yuan, and Y. Li, (2021) “Taguchi and ANOVA analysis for the optimization of the microencapsulation of a volatile phase change material" journal of materials research and technology 11: 667–680.
[24] R. L. Cosse, V. S. Voet, R. Folkersma, and K. Loos, (2023) “The effect of size and delignification on the me chanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites reinforced with wood fibres via extrusion" RSC Sustain ability 1(4): 876–885.
[25] I. Ajaj and M. Obaidi, (2015) “Effect of saw dust wood on some mechanical properties of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET)" International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology 5(1): 20–26.
[26] Z. Lin, Q. Xiang, and X. Dongmei, (2023) “Study on Water Resistance of Polypropylene Based Wood-Plastic Composites Used in Building" Composites and Advanced Materials 32: 26349833231218017.
[27] M. TabkhPaz, A. H. Behravesh, P. Shahi, and A. Zolfaghari, (2008) “Flame-Retardancy Properties of Intumescent Ammonium Poly(Phosphate) and Mineral Filler Magnesium Hydroxide in Combination with Graphene" PolymerComposites16(2):101–113. DOI:10.1002/pc.arXiv:1206.4529.
[28] T. B. Kumar, A. Panda, G. K. Sharma, A. K. Johar, S. K. Kar, and D. Boolchandani, (2020) “Taguchi DoE and ANOVA: A systematic perspective for performance optimization of cross-coupled channel length modulation OTA" AEU-International Journal of Electronics and Communications 116: 153070.
[29] T.-H. Yang, T.-H. Yang, W.-C. Chao, and S.-Y. Leu, (2015) “Characterization of the property changes of ex truded wood–plastic composites during year round subtropical weathering" Construction and Building Materials 88: 159–168.
[30] L.Wang, T.Li,Q.Shu, S.Sun,C.Li, and C.Dai,(2023) “Experimental Study of Fiber Pull-Outs in a Polymer Mor tar Matrix" Materials 16(9): 3594.
[31] G. Pokhrel, D. J. Gardner, and Y. Han, (2021) “Properties of wood–plastic composites manufactured from two different wood feedstocks: Wood flour and wood pellets" Polymers 13(16): 2769.
[32] R. O. Akaluzia, F. O. Edoziuno, A. A. Adediran, B. U. Odoni, S. Edibo, and T. M. Olayanju, (2021) “Evaluation of the effect of reinforcement particle sizes on the impact and hardness properties of hardwood charcoal particulate-polyester resin composites" Materials Today: Proceedings 38(xxxx): 570–577. DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr. 2020.02.980.