Thermomechanical properties prediction of wood-flour reinforced polymer composites using representative volume element (RVE)

Abstract

The accurate prediction of the thermomechanical properties of newly developed polymer composites is important in the determination of their possible areas of application. In this study, a 3D model of representative volume element (RVE) with different wood flour weight ratios (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 %) was used to develop wood flour polymer composites. Micromechanical material modelling software (Digimat) was used in conjunction with finite element analysis software (Abaqus) to develop the polymer composites and to determine their thermomechanical properties (modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio, thermal conductivity, density, and hardness). The hardness, tensile strength and modulus of elasticity increase with an increase in the wt.% of wood flour, while the Poisson ratio, thermal conductivity and density decrease with an increase in the wt.% of wood flour. Also, the predicted thermomechanical properties using the micromechanical material modelling software (RVE) follow the same trend as those found in the literature.