Luyt, A. S.Dikobe, Dorine Geneth2022-08-242022-08-242006-04http://hdl.handle.net/11660/11885Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and wood fibre (WF) composites, compatibilized with ethylene-glycidyl methacrylate copolymer (EGMA) were investigated. The study is divided into two systems, i.e. EVA-WF (uncompatibilized composites) and EVNEGMA-WF (compatibilized composites). The composites were prepared and their mechanical, morphological and thermal properties were investigated and compared. Their 02 permeability and water absorption behavior were also studied. Results showed that EVA-WF composites have poorer mechanical properties and an unacceptable physical appearance, while EVNEGMA-WF composites showed improved properties. The reason for this is that the interfacial adhesion between EVA and WF is weak because of the difference in surface free energy of EVA and WF. This problem was overcome by the addition of EGMA to the EVA-WP mixture, which resulted in the formation of an EGMA-WF grafted product, and which provides an OH group that forms a hydrogen bond with -C=O on EVA, resulting in EVA/EGMA-WF composites with better properties, proving that EGMA can act as an effective compatibilizer for EVA and WF. The effect of WF particle size and content, as well as the effect of the amount of EGMA used in the composite, were thoroughly investigated. The proposed interaction mechanism for EVA-WF, and the reaction and interaction mechanism for EVA/EGMA-WF composites, supported by IR, are presented.enDissertation (M.Sc. (Chemistry))--University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), 2006Composite materialsWood -- TestingThermoplastic compositesDissertationUniversity of the Free State