Fibrous cellulose and maleated polyethylene (FC-MPE) composites were prepared under melt mixing by maleation of polyethylene {PE) to obtain malefic anhydride (MA) grafted PE (MPE) and successive compounding of the resultant MPE with fibrous cellulose (FC). When increasing the content of added MA to 2 wt %, the grafting efficiency of MA decreases gradually to 84% and the grafted MA chains become longer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals strong adhesion of MPE to FC in the FC-MPE composite, which is probably due to the increased compatibility between MPE and FC, in contrast to no adhesion of unmaleated PE (UPE) to FC in the FC-UPE composite. This difference in interfacial structure between the FC-MPE and FC-UPE composites results in quite different mechanical properties for them. With an increase in the FC content to 0 wt %, the tensile strength of the FC-MPE composite increases significantly and reaches 125 % that of pure PE. Furthermore, the larger Young's modulus, larger bending elastic modulus, and smaller elongation of the FC-MPE composite strongly indicate effective transfer of the high tensile strength and elasticity of FC to the MPE matrix through the strong adhesion between FC and MPE. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.