7 - Wood reinforced polymer composites

This chapter deals with the structural, thermal, mechanical and tribological characterization of wood flour/fiber reinforced polymer composites (WPCs). These composites are composed of wood fibers from recovered sawdust reinforced in polymeric matrices, and they can be moulded into intricate shapes. They are environmentally-friendly and require less maintenance. By virtue of these properties their potential applications such as in tribo-composites are being explored. The issues related to the tribological behavior of WPCs are the prime focus of this chapter and are discussed at length. In addition, the tribological properties of wood and the effect of its orientation with respect to test direction in different wear modes are also discussed.