Abstract: Wood-plastic composites(WPC) were prepared from polypropylene（PP）and wood flour. Thermal properties and oxidation induction time (OIT) of the WPC, PP, and wood flour were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG). The effects of wood flour and antioxidant on OIT of WPC were investigated. No significant oxidation was observed in PP or WPC containing antioxidant 1010. An exothermic peak in DSC curve and a rapid weight loss on TG curve were found after exhausting antioxidant 1010 (after OIT), which means an obvious thermal oxidation decomposition of PP or WPC. The antioxidant had little effect on the thermal stability of wood flour. The thermal stability of WPC was improved obviously by adding antioxidant dilauryl thiodipropionate (DLTP).

Key words: oxidation induction time, antioxidant, polypropylene, wood-plastic composites, wood flour, thermal oxidation