Reinforcement of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Polystyrene (PS) with Cellulosic Fibers Treated with Silane

Abstract

A method of significantly improving the tensile strength of PVC and PS re inforced with cellulosic fibers has been developed This method relies on the generation of free radicals to create chemical bonding between the coupling agent and the fibers Also a method of detecting the degree of attachment between silane and cellulosic fibers is pre sented This method utilizes the weight increase of the fiber and the change in color of the fiber after soaking in an appropriate solution.