1. Making Biodegradable Seedling Pots from Textile and Paper Waste—Part A: Factors Affecting Tensile Strength
- Author
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Jeanger P. Juanga-Labayen and Qiuyan Yuan
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Textile ,Materials science ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Corrugated fiberboard ,02 engineering and technology ,textile waste ,01 natural sciences ,cotton ,Article ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Blackstrap molasses ,010608 biotechnology ,Tensile Strength ,Ultimate tensile strength ,Sodium Hydroxide ,Sodium bicarbonate ,biology ,business.industry ,Textiles ,paper waste ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Starch ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Alkali metal ,Pulp and paper industry ,biology.organism_classification ,chemistry ,Sodium hydroxide ,Seedling ,Seedlings ,alkali treatment ,Medicine ,0210 nano-technology ,business ,binder - Abstract
This study investigates the efficacy of using discarded textile (cotton and polycotton) and paper waste (newspaper and corrugated cardboard) as substrates to form sheets with optimum tensile strength. The effect of alkali treatment (sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)), compressive loads (200 N and 500 N), and the use of binding agents (blackstrap molasses, sodium alginate, and cornstarch) were studied to optimize the tensile strength of homogeneous sheets. The alkali treatment using 5% NaOH for 5 h of soaking demonstrated the highest increase in tensile strength of 21% and 19% for cotton and newspaper, respectively. Increasing compressive load from 200 N to 500 N showed the highest increase in tensile strength of 37% and 42% for cotton and newspaper, respectively. Remarkably, among the binders, cornstarch at 20% concentration obtained an increase in tensile strength of 395%, 320%, 310%, and 185% for cotton, polycotton, corrugated cardboard, and newspaper sheets, respectively. The optimum results obtained from this study will be utilized to develop biodegradable seedling pots using discarded textile and paper waste.
- Published
- 2021
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