Study on preparation and performance of diatomite-wood power/polypropylene composite

This research prepared a diatomite-wood powder/polypropylene composite for making use of diatomite and wood powder polypropylene (PP). Mechanical test results showed that, compared to the samples without diatomite, the impact strength, static bending strength and tensile strength were increased by up to 25.9%, 8.2% and 9.5% respectively for the composites with proper diatomite content. The Cone Calorimeter tests for the combustion performance of the composites found that the composite with 20 percent diatomite content has a decreased peak of the heat release rate and a reduced the total heat release compared to the composite without diatomite.