Description:FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to production of reusable tableware and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes;
Particularly, the present invention relates to method of production of products such as tableware using agricultural residue.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The disposal of agricultural crop residue such as sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw, coconut, and rice husks, among others, is a significant problem in developing nations. For instance, in India, over 600 metric tonnes (MT) of waste was reported from agricultural-based products alone. Researchers observed that with the expansion of agricultural production in the current decade, due to the intensification of farming systems, more agro-waste materials are anticipated to be produced. The most common strategies to manage such agro-waste include dumping in landfills, and incineration, , which as a result generate severe environmental concerns. Nonetheless, emerging research has shown that the re-use of agricultural waste and by-products in the development of construction materials, either in part or wholly, is a viable and tentative solution to tackle the identified challenges.
The low levels of recycling of agricultural waste can be attributed to lack of breakthrough research on ways to recycle the residue which can generate value for the recycler as well as the farmer. Agricultural waste causes not only air pollution due to them being burnt (on account of no recycling being done) but also pollutes the soil as they are otherwise dumped to decompose in the absence of any adequate safe procedures to dispose of these residues. Indian agriculture is heavily dependent on the production of grains leading to the generation of waste in the form of husk, which is primarily being used as a rudimentary and crude fuel in furnaces and boilers to be burnt causing air pollution because of their low calorific value.
Therefore, an accurate and precise measurement of mechanical isocenter becomes very essential.
The prior art reveals that there have been attempts to develop method of production of tableware using agricultural waste or residue. Following patent and non-patent literature describes the existing state of the art.
IN201941036473 discloses a process of making biodegradable tableware from agricultural residues comprising natural agricultural residue both powder and course form, derived from all whole grains and seeds of wheat bran, rice bran, rice husk, red gram bran, green gram bran, Bengal gram bran, white bean gram, black gram bran, etc. from as raw materials along with the natural additives to produce degradable and eco-friendly tableware. The said process comprises mixing and molding of agricultural residues along with additives such as compatibilizer, plasticizer, nucleating agent, antifungal agent and weather resistant agent to obtain biodegradable and decomposable tableware.
US5756024A discusses a method for manufacturing a container from husk includes the steps of comminuting the husk into powder form, mixing the powder with an edible adhesive, with the introduction of steam, to form a paste, forming a blank from the paste, shaping the blank into a primary semi-product, re-shaping the primary semi-product to force the paste to flow and fill into cracks formed on the primary semi-product during the shaping step to form a secondary semi-product, drying the secondary semi-product and applying a surface coating to the dried product and then drying the surface coating.
The exhaustive literature search conducted to identify prior art indicated that several efforts have been made in the past to develop method of production of tableware using agricultural waste. However, majority of such methods focus on production of biodegradable material or one time usage which has limited usage. Besides this the prior arts have limitations with respect to the efficiency and have high costs associated with them.
Therefore, in light of foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the drawbacks associated with the existing methods of recycling of agricultural waste into reusable tableware.
The present invention describes a method of production of tableware using agricultural residue.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of production of tableware and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes using agricultural residue;
Further object of the present invention is to provide a reusable and environment friendly tableware and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes with a long shelf life.
Further object of the present invention is to provide a method of production of tableware and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes whose weight or density can be altered as per the specified requirement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present disclosure present technological improvements as solution to one or more of the above-mentioned technical problems recognized by the inventor in conventional practices and existing state of the art.
The present disclosure seeks to provide a method of production of tableware using agricultural residue.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the production of tableware comprises the steps of: mixing Isophthalic (iso) polyester resin (12 – 17% volume) and Low-Profile Additive (5-9% volume); adding Tert-Butyl Peroxybenzoate (TBPB) (0.3 – 0.6% volume) as accelerator in the mix to start the bonding process; adding Magnesium Oxide (0.07-0.09% volume) in the mixture to increase the viscosity of the mixture; adding Zinc Stearate (0.8-1.3% volume) in the mixture which acts as a release agent for the mixture during the moulding process; adding agricultural residue in powder form (57-62% volume), Calcium Carbonate (3-5% volume) and high-grade steel powder (0-8% volume) into the mixture; adding glass fiber (2-6% volume) in the mix to give the final product strength; subjecting the mixture to a mixer machine for 10 to 15 minutes to mix all ingredients evenly and thoroughly; and subjecting this mixture to a compression molding.
According to further aspect of the present invention, density/weight of the product can be altered without any visible difference in the product in terms of quality, usefulness or features by altering the quantity of high-grade steel powder added to the mixture.
The objects and the advantages of the invention are achieved by the process elaborated in the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which the disclosed embodiments can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.
According to the research done by Punjab ENVIS Centre of Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST), India produced 31 million tons of rice husk in 2014 (30% of the total rice production in the country) and out of this, 15% was used as fuel in industrial boilers across multiple industries, including dyeing biomass-based power plants, paper mills, rubber industry etc. Burning of rice husk as fuel also generates rice husk ash, which is again polluting the soil and air wherever they are dumped.
With respect to the tableware products available in the market made of agricultural residue, most of them are disposable i.e., they can be used just once and then have to be dumped or thrown in the garbage.
The present invention provides a method of production of tableware using agricultural residue.
The present invention uses agricultural residue as the primary ingredient to produce reusable tableware which can be used as a perfect substitute for ceramic based tableware and as an efficient and viable alternative to other types of tableware as it is less harsh on the environment during its manufacturing process without compromising on the quality and life of the product.
The present invention also aims to produce other items for practical as well as decorative purposes using same method and ingredient which has the potential to replace plastic and wood-based products, further preserving environment.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, density/weight of the product can be altered without any visible difference in the product in terms of quality, usefulness or features.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, Isophthalic (iso) polyester resin (12-17%) and Low-Profile Additive (LPA) (5-9%) are mixed in the ratio of 3.5 to 1.5 which gives the strength and body to the product as well as improve the surface finish of the final product. LPA is a solution made from mixing together Styrene monomer, plastic granules and BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene) powder. It is used to reduce shrinkage of the formulation and give the product gloss finish and smooth surface. This increases the overall quality of the product and ensures safe usage for food consumption.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, desired pigment color which is 100% organic, food safe, leak proof can be added to the mixture of Isophthalic (iso) polyester resin and Low-Profile Additive (LPA), and mixed thoroughly so that the color is spread evenly in the final product.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, Tert-Butyl Peroxybenzoate (TBPB) (0.3-0.6%) as accelerator in the mix to start the bonding process within all the elements.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, Magnesium Oxide (MgO) (0.07-0.09%) is added to the mixture to increase the viscosity of the mix so that the density of the mixture is strong enough that it doesn’t overflow during the molding process.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, Zinc Stearate (ZnSt) (0.8-1.3%) is added to the mixture which acts as a release agent during the moulding process. This is to ensure that the mixture is released from the mould without harming the final product that comes out of the mould.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, once all the materials are mixed properly in their respective ratio, agricultural residue in powder form (57-62%), Calcium carbonate (3-5%) and high-grade steel powder (0-8%) are added into the mix.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, glass fiber is added to the mixture to give the product strength which makes the products unbreakable.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, all the above ingredients are mixed in a mixer machine for 10 to 15 mins for even and thorough mixing. The evenly mixed formulation is taken out of the mixer and then based on the requirement, depending on the size and shape of the product, it is kept between the mold (it consists of two parts; top part is called punch and bottom part is called cavity) which is affixed to a heater and hydraulic cylinder for moulding process.
The moulding process takes anywhere between 240 to 360 seconds and heat is applied to the mold during the process which in turn heats up the mixture. The temperature applied to the punch is between 120 to 140 degrees Celsius and to the cavity between 100 to 120 degrees Celsius.
The application of this method is not limited to the production of tableware only but it can also be applied in the manufacturing of crockery, cutlery, cups, saucers, serving trays, coasters, flower pots, flower vase, pen holders, water bottles etc.
, Claims:We Claim:
1. A method of production of tableware and decorative items using agricultural waste, the said method comprising:
- mixing Isophthalic (iso) polyester resin (12 – 17% volume) and Low-Profile Additive (5-9% volume);
- adding Tert-Butyl Peroxybenzoate (TBPB) (0.3 – 0.6% volume) as accelerator in the mix to start the bonding process;
- adding Magnesium Oxide (0.07-0.09% volume) in the mixture to increase the viscosity of the mixture;
- adding Zinc Stearate (0.8-1.3% volume) in the mixture which acts as a release agent for the mixture during the moulding process;
- adding agricultural residue in powder form (57-62% volume), Calcium Carbonate (3-5% volume) and high-grade steel powder (0-8% volume) into the mixture;
- adding glass fiber (2-6% volume) in the mix to give the final product strength.
- subjecting the mixture to a mixer machine for 10 to 15 minutes to mix all ingredients evenly and thoroughly;
- subjecting this mixture to a compression molding;
wherein the density/weight of the product can be altered without any visible difference in the product in terms of quality, usefulness or features by varying the quantity of high-grade steel powder added to the mixture.
2. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the Low-Profile Additive is a solution made from mixing Styrene monomer, plastic granules and Butylated hydroxytoluene powder.
3. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a pigment (0.4-0.9% volume) is added after mixing the Isophthalic polyester resin and Low-Profile Additive in the ratio of 3.5 to 1.5.
4. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mixture is kept between top part of the mould called punch and bottom part of the mould called cavity which is affixed to a heater and hydraulic cylinder and heat is applied to the mold during the compression moulding process maintaining the temperature in the punch part between 120 to 140 degrees Celsius and between 100 to 120 degrees Celsius in the cavity part for 240 – 360 seconds.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said top and bottom parts of the mould are fitted to heater and hydraulic cylinder.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moulded product is processed for polishing, finishing and buffing and washing before packing.