Study On The Technologies Of Forming Fruit Inner Packing Cushion With Corn Stalk

The studies of the environmental friend materials to replace the traditional plastics have been worked continually through various methods in order to avoid the "white pollution". The plant fiber packing materials are concerned greatly by more and more domestic and foreign researchers because of the advantages to the environment that can be degraded completely and to the resource that is abundant. Corn is one of the four major food crops in the world and has become one of the most important goals in the plant fiber packing materials applied because of the very rich stalk resources. At present, the productions of fruit inner packing material from corn stalk have achieved initial results and the samples produced in laboratory have shown big market potential. However, the current studies are still in its initial stage and its technology researches need to be improved further.The raw materials were broken- stem and broken-core from discarded corn stalks respectively in this paper. The material forming process, property test of forming fruit inner packing cushion from corn stalk and other aspects comparing with corrugated medium paper, EPS were studied. The results showed as follows:(1) The material of broken- stem and of broken-core from corn stalks could meet the fruit packing requirements in the buffer packing cushion at suitable technology condition. Although both on the formation Process were slightly different, all products could be used in natural. The products appearance and buffer performance from material of broken-core were significantly better than the products from material of broken- stem. There was good economic viability of both because of molding equipment simple and production efficient.(2) The pre-pressing condition was the important factors that affect the technologies to produce corn stalk forming fruit inner packing cushion.The best pre-pressing condition in this paper was pavement material of broken- stem 120g or broken-core from corn stalks 80g and pre-pressing in a homemade simple pre-molded box.(3) The gelatin quantity, hot pressing time, raw material particle size, hot pressing temperature were the main co-efficient that affected the technologies to produce corn stalk forming fruit inner packing cushion. The main co-efficient of broken- stem from corn stalks in this paper were the particle size of stem less than 3mm compounding solid gelatin of 5% and hot-pressing 30s in 120°C. The main co-efficient of broken- core from corn stalks in this paper were the particle size of stem less than 5mm and more than 3mm compounding solid gelatin of 6% and hot-pressing 20s in 120°C.(4) The buffer properties of corn stalk forming cushion were compared with corrugated medium paper, EPS in static compression condition. The results showed that the fruit inner packing cushion produced in the best technologies that confirmed in this paper was relatively good in buffer property and strength. The packaged fruit could be protected efficiently. The cushion from discarded corn stalks could replace the corrugated medium paper, EPS and other materials as a fruit inner packing buffer cushion.