Data from: Light stabilizers added to the shell of coextruded wood-high density polyethylene composites to improve mechanical and anti-UV aging properties

Weathering of wood-plastic composite (WPC) leads to discoloration and cracks, which greatly limits its outdoor application. In this study, light stabilizers (including UV-327, HS-944, and Nano-SiO2) were added to the shell of coextruded high-density polyethylene (HDPE) based WPC to improve its anti-ultraviolet (UV) aging property and simultaneously to maintain its good mechanical property. The obtained results showed that the UV-327 was the most effective light stabilizer on improving the mechanical and anti-UV aging properties of the composites among the three stabilizers used. WPC samples added with 2% UV-327 had the highest retention rates in flexural strength and also had the smoothest surface after 2500h of UV aging. The samples added with 2% UV-327 had the best protection for the discoloration, showing the lowest values of ΔE (color difference) and ΔL (luminescence) in all samples after 2500h of UV aging. WPC added with 2% UV-327 was oxidized to the slightest extent after 2500h of UV aging. The results reported herein serve to enhance the understanding of the efficiency of light stabilizers in preventing WPCs from UV degradation, with a view toward developing co-extruded WPCs with low cost, high anti-UV aging property and good mechanical property for outdoor applications.

木塑复合材料（wood-plastic composite, WPC）的风化作用会引发变色与开裂，极大限制了其户外应用。本研究将光稳定剂（light stabilizers，包括UV-327、HS-944及纳米二氧化硅（Nano-SiO2））添加至共挤高密度聚乙烯（high-density polyethylene, HDPE）基WPC的外壳层中，在保留其优异力学性能的同时，提升其抗紫外（UV）老化性能。研究结果表明，在所选用的三种稳定剂中，UV-327对改善复合材料的力学性能与抗紫外老化性能效果最为显著。添加2% UV-327的WPC试样在经过2500小时紫外老化后，弯曲强度保留率最高，且表面最为平整光滑。添加2% UV-327的试样对变色的防护效果最优，经2500小时紫外老化后，其色差（ΔE）与明度差（ΔL）均为所有试样中的最低值。添加2% UV-327的WPC在经过2500小时紫外老化后，氧化程度最轻。本研究结果有助于加深对光稳定剂阻隔WPC紫外降解效率的认知，以期开发低成本、高抗紫外老化性能且力学性能优异的共挤WPC材料，用于户外应用。