Testing the Use of Coconut Fiber as a Cushioning Material for Transport Packaging

Clívia D Pinho Da Costa Castro,José De Assis Fonseca Faria,Tiago Bassani Hellmeister Dantas

doi:10.4236/msa.2012.33023

Abstract

In spite of being a raw material of virtually unlimited availability due to the massive consumption of the highly popular coconut water, fiber produced from green coconut is much less used than the dried coconut fiber. The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of green (white) coconut fiber as a cushioning material for use in packaging systems. The mechanical performance of both green coconut fibers in their natural state as well as those molded into the shape of cushioning pads were evaluated by shock absorption tests. The results showed that the fibers without agglutination agents exhibited the best performance when submitted to increasing static loads by presenting the greatest capacity to reduce impact acceleration. In addition, green coconut fiber presented behavior similar to that of cellulosic cushioning materials and in certain situations can be considered effective in protecting products that are considered fragile.

Highlights

Among vegetable fibers, coconut fiber (Cocos nucifera) has been extensively used in the development of ecological products, probably due to its characteristic as organic solid waste
The results showed that the fibers without agglutination agents exhibited the best performance when submitted to increasing static loads by presenting the greatest capacity to reduce impact acceleration
Ecological requirements have been encouraging reducing the amounts of plastic materials used in the manufacturing of packagings, as well as research and development of alternative materials and technologies. Within this context, based on the results of mechanical tests, this study investigates the levels of protection that can be provided by coconut fiber, both when used in its natural form and as molded into cushioning pads with the aid of natural agglutination agents

Summary

Introduction

Coconut fiber (Cocos nucifera) has been extensively used in the development of ecological products, probably due to its characteristic as organic solid waste. Within this context, the traditional making of ropes, brushes, carpets, mats, and more recently, the manufacture of automotive components and gardening products, all of which generally use the dried fibers of mature coconut molded with vulcanized rubber. Large volumes of post-consumer white coconut fibers pose enormous ecological problems— in large urban centers where they are generated as solid waste by coconut water processing industries—and for which, so far, only very few applications have been evaluated. Of the total amount of coconuts harvested in the world, only 15% of the fibers are put to good use [2]

Objectives

Methods

Results