Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Polymer composites, and in particular wood-polymer composites have become commercially and environmentally important materials. Studies in polyolefin-wood composites have mostly focused on polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). To our knowledge, no study has been undertaken on advancing impact polypropylene copolymer (IPPC)-wood composites as a suitable alternative to using PP and PE. IPPC have proven to be a suitable alternative to PP at low temperatures to improve impact resistance for manufactured polymer products, and could be a great addition to improved properties for wood polymer composites. This study shows that the physical properties of IPPC-wood composites can be markedly improved when compatibilizer(s) are used to improve the distribution of the wood within the matrix, as well as improving the interaction between the wood and the polymer matrix.. The use of different compatibilizers, vi polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PPgMA) and poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EvOH) results in different physical properties. Using simple admixtures of the PPgMA and EvOH in IPPC-wood composites result in a large spread of results, while pre-reacting the PPgMA and EvOH to form a joint compatibilizer gives reproducible results w.r.t the physical testing. A study of the fundamental interactions of the compatibilizer(s) with the molecular components of the IPPCs was undertaken. The IPPCs used were fractionated by preparative temperature rising elution fractionation, and the fractions were mixed with the compatibilizers. To this end, fluorescence microscopy was utilized to study the interaction. The results clearly indicate that the interaction of the PPgMA with the fractions differ from that of the EvOH. These differences can be explained in terms of the chemical composition distribution within the IPPC fractions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study adhesive forces between compatibilizer, polymer and cellulose and lignin. Successful coating of AFM tips with PPgMA and EvOH was achieved. Whilst interactions based on chemical force microscopy (CFM) could not be quantified, the AFM results in conjunction with fluorescence spectroscopy provided meaningful insight in the way that compatibilizers interact with both the wood and the impact copolymers used in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Polimeer saamgestelde material, en meer spesifiek hout-polimeer saamgestelde material het die afgelope tyd belangrike produkte geword, beide kommersieel en in verband met omgewingvriendelikheid. Navorsing op die gebied van poli(olefien)-hout komposiete het tot op hede meestal gefokus op die grbruik van poli(propileen) (PP) en poli(etileen) (PE). Sover dit on kennis strek is daar nog geen studie gedoen om die gebied van impak polipropileen kopolimere (IPPK)-hout komposiete uit te bou nie. IPPKs is ‘n geskikte alternatief vir PP in veral laetemperatuur aanwendings. Die gebruik van IPPKs as matriks vir die hout komposiete kan ‘n groot staqp vorentoe beteken. Hierdie studie wys dat die fisiese eienskappe van iPPK-hout komposiete merkwaardig verbeter kan word waneer versoeningmateriale gebruik word om die verspreiding van die hout in die polimeermatriks sowel as die interaksie tussen die hout en polimeer te verbeter. Die gebruik van verskillende versoenings material, t.w poli(propileen-ent-maleinsuur anhidried) (PPeMA) en pol(etlieen-ko-viniel alkohol) (EVOH). Deur gebruik te maak van eenvoudige mengsels van PPeMA en EVOH in IPPK-hout composite het ‘n geweldige wye verpreiding van resultate tot gevolg gehad, terwyl ‘n voorafgaande reaksie tussen die PPeMA en die EVOH om ‘n saamgestelde versoeningmateriaal te maak tot gevolg gehad het dat reproduseerbare resultate verkry kon word. ‘n Studie van die fundamentele interaksies van die versoeningsmateriale met die molkulêre komponente van die IPPKs is uitgevoer. Die IPPKs is gefraksioneer deur preparatiewe temperatuur-stygende uitloog frakasionering en die fraksies is gemeng met die versoeningmateriale. Fluoressensie mikroskopie is gebruik om hierdie interaksies te bestudeer. Die resultate dui duidelik daarop dat die interaksie van die PPeMA met die fraksies verskil met die van die EVOH. Die verskille kan verduidelik word aan die hand van die chemiese samestelling verspreiding van die IPPK fraksies. Atoomkrag mikroskopie (AKM) is gebruik om die adhesive-kragte tussen die versoeningmateriale, polimere, sellulose en lignien. AKM tippe is suksesvol bedek met PPeMA en EVOH, onderskeidelik. Alhoewel interaksies gebaseer op chemiese krag mikroskopie (CKM) nie gekwantifiseer kon word nie, lewer hierdie resultate tesame met die fluoressensie spektroskopie unieke insig in die manier wat versoeningmateriale met beide die hout en die polimeer reageer.