The effect of thermo-oxidative ageing on the mechanical properties of unsaturated polyester/wood composites

Thermo-oxidative aging (TOA) is a crucial factor that judges the serviceability of a composite material. Therefore, olive husk wastes (OHWs) was subjected to mechanical and chemical treatments in the first and second stages to check its potential as a reinforcement for unsaturated polyester (UPE) to produce PWC. The mechanical treatment involved milling using a ball mill, followed by mechanical sifting to obtain the smallest particle size. Raw OHW (R-OHW) was progressively increased from 0 to 50 phr and incorporated into the UPE resin. The prepared composites were subjected to TOA process using an air-circulating furnace. The unaged and aged samples were characterized with respect to mechanical properties. The highest retention% was displayed by the sample with 30 phr OHW. The sample with 10 and 30 phr content was subjected to hydrogen peroxide (P-OHW) and di-octylphalate (DOP) treatments (D-OHW) under ambient conditions for 24 h, followed by incorporation into the UPE resin. The prepared composites were undergone TOA process, as before. It has been found that the composition with 10 phr OHW displayed the highest retention% in terms of mechanical performance. Thus, the chemical treatment decreased the OHW amount to be incorporated into the UPE.