Demand For WPC Products In Middle East Rising Significantly

What is WPC？

Wood plastic composites (WPC) are composite materials made of wood fiber/wood flour and thermoplastic such as polyethylene(PE), polypropylene(PP), polyvinyl chloride(PVC), or polylactic acid(PLA). WPC is a new kind of synthetic material which uses PVC, PP, PE resin or recycled plastic and plant fiber(wood powder, chaff, strawmetc.)as raw material and through the process of mixing, granulation, extrusion, calibrating, drawing off and cutting.

Uses of WPC

Also sometimes known as composite timber, WPC is still new material relative to the long history of natural lumber as a building material. The most widespread use of WPC is in outdoor deck floors, but it is also used for railings, fences, landscaping timbers, cladding and siding, park benches, molding and trim, window and door frames, and indoor furniture. WPC were first introduced into the decking market in the early 1990s. Manufacturers claim that WPC is more environmentally friendly and requires less maintenance than the alternatives of solid wood treated with preservatives or solid wood of rot-resistant species. These materials can be molded with or without simulated wood grain details.

This kind of wood-plastic materials are not only very similar with natural wood in appearance and feel, but also with the same characteristics as wood of excisable, sawable, unmatched grip, low bibulous rate, good moisture resistance, mothproof, mildew resistance, good resistance to acid and alkali, anti-corrosion, and it has the feature of fire resistance. The products are non-toxic, non-polluting, environment-friendly and save-energied, without formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia and other harmful substances. The wood-plastic products are widely used in outdoor floor, hydrophilic construction, balcony, landscape architecture, chairs and benches, fences, indoor doors and windows, furnitures, etc.

Production process of WPC

WPC is produced by thoroughly mixing ground wood particles and heated thermoplastic resin. The most common method of production is to extrude the material into the desired shape, though injection molding is also used. WPC may be produced from either virgin or recycled thermoplastics including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polystyrene (PS), and polylactic acid (PLA). PE-based WPC is by far the most common. Additives such as colorants, coupling agents, UV stabilizers, blowing agents, foaming agents, and lubricants help tailor the end product to the target area of application. Extruded WPC is formed into both solid and hollow profiles. A large variety of injection molded parts are also produced, from automotive door panels to cell phone covers.

In some manufacturing facilities, the constituents are combined and processed in a pelletizing extruder, which produces pellets of the new material. The pellets are then re-melted and formed into the final shape.

Adavantages of WPC material

WPC has good workability and can be shaped using conventional woodworking tools. WPC is often considered a sustainable material because they can be made using recycled plastics and the waste products of the wood industry. Although these materials continue the lifespan of used and discarded materials, they have their own considerable half life; the polymers and adhesives added make WPC difficult to recycle again after use. They can however be recycled easily in a new WPC, much like concrete. One advantage over wood is the ability of the material to be molded to meet almost any desired shape. A WPC member can be bent and fixed to form strong arching curves. Another major selling point of these materials is their lack of need for paint. They are manufactured in a variety of colors, but are widely available in grays and earth tones. Despite up to 70 percent cellulose content, the mechanical behavior of WPC is most similar to neat polymers. Neat polymers are polymerized without added solvents. This means that WPC has a lower strength and stiffness than wood, and they experience time and temperature-dependent behavior.

Our company are professional for turnkey WPC products extrusion machine projects from raw material to the final products. According to different raw material, we have different types of WPC machine to make different WPC products for different application. Any needs please feel free to contact us!