Abstract: An extruded wood-plastic profile. The profile includes: a wood component; a plastic component, the wood component and the plastic component being intermixed to form the profile body. A bonding agent is added for improving the adherence between the wood component and the plastic component. In the preferred embodiment, the bonding agent includes a thermoplastic component and at least one bonding site. In the preferred embodiment, the bonding agent thermoplastic component is a polyethylene and the bonding agent has a melt index value greater than the melt index value of the plastic component of the profile. In the preferred embodiment, the bonding site preferably is an anhydride, such as a carboxylic acid anhydride, such as maleic anhydride. The wood-plastic composite of the present invention has a modulus of rapture of greater than about 1200 psi when tested according to ASTM D4761, and in the preferred embodiment, the modulus of rupture is greater than about 2500 psi.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making a dimensionally stable wood-thermoplastic composite material composed of a wood component and a thermoplastic component comprising the steps of forming a wood-thermoplastic mass at a temperature above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic component. The mass is then passed through a converging die to form a shaped extrudate profile having a cross sectional shape wherein at least a part of the converging die is maintained at a substantially higher temperature than that of the mass. The profile is then fed through a low friction thermally insulating land section, the land section having the substantially the same cross sectional shape as the exit end of the converging die. The profile is then quenched in a non-oxidizing environment to form a substantially dimensionally stable outer shell around the profile, the shell having a temperature below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic component.

Abstract: The crystallization half-time and mold cycle time of high density (>0.935 g/cm.sup.3) polyethylene are reduced and the impact energy is improved by blending two linear ethylene polymers differing in density by 0.015 to 0.150 g/cm.sup.3, to achieve a density similar to a single high density polyethylene. Both polymer components and resulting blend have a melt flow ratio (MFR) of less than 35 which indicates a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution. Articles are formed which do not show the severe warpage experienced with conventional nucleating agents, and which exhibit impact properties superior to a similar single high density polyethylene copolymer.