Tool forming method based on plant fibers

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of utensil manufacturing, and discloses a utensil forming method based on plant fibers, which comprises the following steps: S1, sheet stock pretreatment after tableware crushing is recycled: collected tableware sheet stock raw materials, such as tableware sheet stock, tableware sheet stock, tableware sheet stock and the like, are firstly cleaned, impurities and dust on the surface are removed, and then drying treatment is carried out, so that the tableware sheet stock raw materials are obtained; the water content of the tableware sheet material is reduced to 10%-15%; then putting the dried tableware sheets into a crusher for coarse crushing, and controlling the particle size of the crushed fibers to be 2-5mm; according to the method, tableware sheets are subjected to the pretreatment steps of cleaning, drying, coarse and fine crushing, alkali treatment, steam explosion and the like, impurities can be fully removed, the fiber structure can be optimized, the specific surface area of the fibers can be increased, the fibers can be better combined with other materials, and therefore the tableware sheets can be well combined with other materials. Therefore, the mechanical property of the formed tool is remarkably improved, and the possibility that the tool is damaged in the using process is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of tool manufacturing, and in particular to a tool forming method based on plant fibers. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous improvement of environmental awareness, traditional plastic utensils are gradually being abandoned by the market due to their non-degradable nature, which has caused great pollution to the environment. As a green and environmentally friendly alternative, tableware utensils are gaining more and more attention due to their advantages such as biodegradability and wide availability.

[0003] At present, most common tableware sheet utensils use tableware sheet materials, tableware sheet materials, tableware sheet materials and other tableware sheet materials as raw materials. However, there are many problems with the existing tableware sheet utensils molding methods. On the one hand, during the raw material processing process, for example, when processing tableware sheets, simple crushing and screening make it difficult for the tableware sheet fibers to fully exert their performance, resulting in poor mechanical properties of the molded utensils and easy damage. On the other hand, the molding process is not perfect. For example, in traditional hot pressing molding, the control of temperature and pressure lacks precision, which makes the quality of the utensils uneven, and it is difficult to meet actual use requirements in terms of waterproof and oil-proof properties. In addition, the existing molding methods often ignore the in-depth exploration and utilization of the characteristics of the tableware sheets themselves, resulting in a complicated production process and high costs, which limits the large-scale promotion and application of tableware sheet utensils.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a tool forming method based on plant fibers to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a plant fiber-based tool to solve the existing problems in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] A method for forming a plant fiber-based tool comprises the following steps:

[0008] S1. Pre-treatment of recycled broken tableware: The collected tableware flakes are first cleaned to remove surface impurities and dust, and then dried to reduce the moisture content of the tableware flakes to 10%-15%;

[0009] Then, the dried tableware pieces are put into a grinder for coarse grinding, and the fiber particle size after grinding is controlled to be 2-5mm;

[0010] The coarsely crushed fibers are then fed into a grinder for fine grinding to obtain tableware sheet powder with a particle size of 0.1-0.5 mm;

[0011] Mix tableware sheet powder with 5%-10% sodium hydroxide solution in a ratio of 1:3-1:5, stir at 40-60°C for 2-4 hours, then wash with water until neutral, and dry twice to reduce the moisture content to 5%-8%.

[0012] S2, granulation: the prepared tableware sheet powder is added with calcium powder and carbon black in a ratio of 95:3:2 to form an intermediate material, and the intermediate material is placed in a granulator for granulation;

[0013] S3, mixed material preparation: take 70-80 parts of the granulated intermediate material, 10-20 parts of starch, 5-10 parts of natural resin, 2-5 parts of waterproofing agent, and 1-3 parts of oil repellent, put them into a high-speed mixer, and mix them at a speed of 1000-1500 rpm for 30-60 minutes to obtain a uniform mixed material;

[0014] S4, molding: placing the mixed material into a mold, preheating the mold to 120-150°C, then placing the mold containing the mixed material into a hot press, and hot pressing the mold at a pressure of 10-15 MPa and a temperature of 150-180°C for 5-10 minutes. After molding, the mold is cooled to room temperature and demolded to obtain a primary product of the tool;

[0015] S5. Post-processing: Place the utensils into the ultraviolet sterilization equipment and sterilize them under the ultraviolet intensity of 50-100μW / cm 2 Sterilize for 15-30 minutes under the conditions of , after which quality inspection is carried out and qualified products are packaged and put into storage.

[0016] As a further embodiment of the present invention, during the pretreatment step of the recycled tableware flakes, steam explosion technology is used to treat the secondary dried tableware flakes at a steam pressure of 1.5-2.5 MPa for 3-5 minutes. After the explosion, the tableware flakes are pulverized to a fiber length of 0.5-1 mm. The steam explosion technology can further disrupt the structure of the tableware flakes, increase the specific surface area of ​​the fibers, and improve their bonding properties with other materials, thereby significantly improving the mechanical properties of the utensils.

[0017] As a further solution of the present invention, in the mixed material preparation step, 0.5%-1% by mass of nano-titanium dioxide is added. Nano-titanium dioxide can form a thin film with photocatalytic activity on the surface of the utensil, which can not only enhance the antibacterial properties of the utensil, but also improve the stain resistance of the utensil to a certain extent.

[0018] As a further embodiment of the present invention, a staged hot pressing process is employed in the molding step, initially performing hot pressing at a pressure of 5-8 MPa and a temperature of 120-140°C for 2-3 minutes. The pressure is then increased to 10-15 MPa and the temperature to 150-180°C, with hot pressing continuing for 3-7 minutes. This staged hot pressing process allows the mixed material to flow and compact fully at different stages, preventing local defects and improving the molding quality and dimensional accuracy of the tool.

[0019] As a further embodiment of the present invention, in the post-treatment step, the sterilized utensils are surface-coated with a 10%-15% by mass aqueous polyurethane solution to a thickness of 0.05-0.1 mm. Coating with the aqueous polyurethane solution further enhances the utensils' water and oil repellency, while also making the surfaces smoother and easier to clean.

[0020] As a further solution of the present invention, after the alkali treatment of the recycled tableware flakes, an ultrasonic-assisted cleaning step is added. The ultrasonic frequency is 20-40kHz and the cleaning time is 10-20 minutes. This can more thoroughly remove residual alkali and fine impurities, further improving fiber purity and facilitating subsequent molding quality improvement.

[0021] As a further embodiment of the present invention, a plasticizer of 2% to 5% by weight is added during the preparation of the mixed material. The plasticizer is a citrate ester plasticizer. The addition of the plasticizer improves the processing fluidity of the mixed material, allowing the material to fill the mold more evenly during the molding process, thereby improving the mold integrity and surface smoothness of the molded tool.

[0022] As a further embodiment of the present invention, during the molding step, a mold with a microstructured surface is used. The microstructure is an array of micropores with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 mm and a depth of 0.05-0.1 mm, or an array of microgrooves with a width of 0.1-0.2 mm and a depth of 0.05-0.1 mm. This microstructure creates a microscopic concave-convex structure on the surface of the utensil, further enhancing the utensil's anti-slip properties and improving the user experience without compromising its overall strength.

[0023] As a further solution of the present invention, a post-treatment step is added after UV sterilization using a low-temperature plasma treatment, with a treatment power of 50-100W and a treatment time of 5-10 minutes. This low-temperature plasma treatment can introduce active groups onto the surface of the item, enhancing surface adhesion and facilitating subsequent processing such as printing and decoration, while also further improving antimicrobial properties.

[0024] This invention improves mechanical properties: By pre-treating the tableware sheets through cleaning, drying, coarse and fine grinding, alkali treatment, and steam explosion, impurities are fully removed, the fiber structure is optimized, and the fiber surface area is increased, allowing for better bonding with other materials. This significantly enhances the mechanical properties of the finished utensils and reduces the likelihood of damage during use. Newly added steps such as ultrasonic-assisted cleaning, sorting, and targeted parameter adjustment further ensure fiber quality and enhance the mechanical performance improvements.

[0025] Simplified production process: By optimizing the process parameters and operational procedures for each step, the molding method of this invention avoids unnecessary complex steps, such as repeated crushing and screening in traditional processes. Furthermore, the segmented hot pressing process and rational mold heating method make the production process more efficient and stable, shortening the production cycle and improving production efficiency. The use of plasticizers improves material processing properties, helping to further simplify production operations.

[0026] Reduce production costs: On the one hand, make full use of tableware sheets, tableware sheets, tableware sheets and other tableware sheets that are widely available and inexpensive as raw materials, thereby reducing the cost of raw materials; on the other hand, the simplified production process and improved production efficiency reduce manpower, material and time costs, and comprehensively reduce the production cost of tableware sheet utensils, which is conducive to its large-scale promotion and application.

[0027] Environmental Advantages: The tableware sheet materials are biodegradable, and no harmful chemicals are added during the production process, which is environmentally friendly and helps reduce the environmental pollution caused by traditional plastic utensils and protect the ecological environment. Low-temperature plasma treatment and other processes improve product performance while introducing no additional pollution, thus enhancing its environmental protection characteristics.

[0028] Improve product diversification: By adding nano-titanium dioxide to enhance antibacterial and stain resistance, using micro-structured molds to improve anti-slip properties, and low-temperature plasma treatment to enhance surface adhesion for subsequent processing, the tools not only have basic performance but also have more diversified functional characteristics to meet the needs of different scenarios. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a waterproof performance test data diagram of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Example 1

[0032] Pre-processing of recycled broken tableware flakes: Collect tableware flakes as tableware flake raw materials, sort them first, and remove obvious impurities and tableware flakes of different qualities.

[0033] Soak the sorted tableware pieces in clean water for 30 minutes, then rinse them with clean water 3-5 times to remove surface impurities and dust.

[0034] The cleaned tableware pieces were placed in a drying machine and dried at 80° C. for 4 hours to reduce the moisture content of the tableware pieces to 12%.

[0035] The dried tableware flakes are placed in a grinder for coarse grinding, and the fiber particle size of the crushed tableware flakes is controlled to be 3 mm.

[0036] The coarsely crushed fibers are then fed into a grinder for fine grinding to obtain tableware sheet fiber powder with a particle size of 0.3 mm.

[0037] The tableware sheet fiber powder was mixed with 8% sodium hydroxide solution by mass in a ratio of 1:4, stirred at 50°C for 3 hours, then washed with water, and then ultrasonically assisted cleaning was performed with an ultrasonic frequency of 30kHz and a cleaning time of 15 minutes. After cleaning to neutrality, the mixture was placed in a dryer and dried for a second time at 60°C to reduce the moisture content to 6%.

[0038] The tableware flake fibers that have undergone secondary drying are processed using steam explosion technology. The steam pressure is 2 MPa and the pressure holding time is 4 minutes. After the explosion, the tableware flake fibers are crushed to control the fiber length to 0.8 mm.

[0039] The prepared tableware sheet fine powder is added with calcium powder and carbon black in a ratio of 95:3:2 to form an intermediate material, and the intermediate material is placed in a granulator for granulation for later use.

[0040] Preparation of the mixed material: Take 75 parts of pretreated tableware sheet fiber powder, 15 parts of starch, 8 parts of natural resin, 3 parts of waterproofing agent, 2 parts of oil repellent, 0.8 parts of nano titanium dioxide, and 3 parts of citrate plasticizer, put them into a high-speed mixer, and mix them at a speed of 1200 rpm for 45 minutes to obtain a uniform mixed material.

[0041] Molding: The mixed material is placed in a mold preheated to 130°C and having a microporous array microstructure (diameter 0.2mm, depth 0.08mm), and then the mold containing the mixed material is placed in a hot press. A segmented hot pressing process is adopted. First, hot press at a pressure of 6MPa and a temperature of 130°C for 2 minutes, then the pressure is increased to 12MPa, the temperature is raised to 160°C, and hot pressing is continued for 5 minutes. After molding, it is cooled to room temperature and demolded to obtain the initial product of the tool.

[0042] Post-processing: Place the utensils into the UV sterilizer and sterilize them under the UV intensity of 80μW / cm 2 Sterilize for 20 minutes under the conditions of .

[0043] Then, low-temperature plasma treatment is performed with a processing power of 80W and a processing time of 8 minutes.

[0044] The treated utensils are then surface-coated with a 12% by mass aqueous polyurethane solution to a thickness of 0.08 mm. Quality inspection is then carried out, and qualified products are packaged and stored.

[0045] Example 2

[0046] Pretreatment of recycled broken tableware flakes: Collect the tableware flakes as tableware flake raw materials, sort them carefully, soak them in clean water for 40 minutes, and then rinse them with clean water 4-6 times to remove surface impurities and dust.

[0047] The cleaned tableware pieces were placed in a drying machine and dried at 90° C. for 3 hours to reduce the moisture content of the tableware pieces to 10%.

[0048] The dried tableware flakes are placed in a grinder for coarse grinding, and the fiber particle size of the crushed tableware flakes is controlled to be 2 mm.

[0049] The coarsely crushed fibers are then fed into a grinder for fine grinding to obtain tableware sheet fiber powder with a particle size of 0.2 mm.

[0050] Fine tableware fiber powder was mixed with a 6% sodium hydroxide solution in a ratio of 1:3 by mass and stirred at 45°C for 2.5 hours. The mixture was then washed with water and ultrasonically cleaned (25kHz for 12 minutes) until neutralized. The mixture was then placed in a dryer and dried again at 55°C to reduce the moisture content to 7%. The dried tableware fiber was then treated with steam explosion technology at a steam pressure of 1.8 MPa for 3.5 minutes. The fibers were then pulverized to a fiber length of 0.6 mm.

[0051] The prepared tableware sheet fine powder is added with calcium powder and carbon black in a ratio of 95:3:2 to form an intermediate material, and the intermediate material is placed in a granulator for granulation for later use.

[0052] Preparation of the mixed material: Take 72 parts of pretreated tableware sheet fiber powder, 18 parts of starch, 6 parts of natural resin, 4 parts of waterproofing agent, 1.5 parts of oil repellent, 0.6 parts of nano titanium dioxide, and 4 parts of citrate plasticizer, put them into a high-speed mixer, and mix them at a speed of 1100 rpm for 50 minutes to obtain a uniform mixed material.

[0053] Molding: The mixed material is placed in a mold preheated to 125°C and having a microgroove array microstructure (width 0.15mm, depth 0.06mm), and then the mold containing the mixed material is placed in a hot press. A segmented hot pressing process is adopted. First, hot press for 2.5 minutes at a pressure of 5MPa and a temperature of 125°C, and then the pressure is increased to 10MPa, the temperature is increased to 155°C, and hot pressing is continued for 6 minutes. After molding, it is cooled to room temperature and demolded to obtain the initial product of the tool.

[0054] Post-processing: Place the utensils into the UV sterilizer and sterilize them under the UV intensity of 60μW / cm 2 Sterilize for 25 minutes under the conditions of .

[0055] Then, low-temperature plasma treatment is performed with a treatment power of 60 W and a treatment time of 6 minutes.

[0056] The sterilized utensils were surface coated with a 13% by mass aqueous polyurethane solution and a coating thickness of 0.06 mm.

[0057] After that, quality inspection is carried out and qualified products are packaged and put into storage.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] Pretreatment of recycled broken tableware flakes: Collect tableware flakes as tableware flake raw materials, strictly sort them, cut them into small pieces, soak them in clean water for 50 minutes, and then rinse them with clean water 5-7 times to remove surface impurities and dust.

[0060] The cleaned tableware pieces were placed in a dryer and dried at 100° C. for 2.5 hours to reduce the moisture content of the tableware pieces to 13%.

[0061] The dried tableware flakes are placed in a grinder for coarse grinding, and the fiber particle size of the crushed tableware flakes is controlled to be 4 mm.

[0062] The coarsely pulverized fibers were then fed into a grinder for fine grinding, yielding a 0.4mm-sized tableware fiber powder. The powder was then mixed with a 9% sodium hydroxide solution at a ratio of 1:5, stirred at 55°C for 3.5 hours, and then washed with water and ultrasonically cleaned (ultrasonic frequency 35kHz, cleaning time 18 minutes) until neutralized. The mixture was then placed in a dryer and dried again at 65°C to reduce the moisture content to 5%.

[0063] The tableware flake fibers that have undergone secondary drying are processed using steam explosion technology. The steam pressure is 2.2 MPa and the pressure holding time is 4.5 minutes. After the explosion, the tableware flake fibers are crushed to control the fiber length to 0.9 mm.

[0064] The prepared tableware sheet fine powder is added with calcium powder and carbon black in a ratio of 95:3:2 to form an intermediate material, and the intermediate material is placed in a granulator for granulation for later use.

[0065] Preparation of the mixed material: Take 78 parts of pretreated tableware sheet fiber powder, 12 parts of starch, 7 parts of natural resin, 2.5 parts of waterproofing agent, 2.5 parts of oil repellent, 0.9 parts of nano titanium dioxide, and 2.5 parts of citrate plasticizer, put them into a high-speed mixer, and mix them at a speed of 1300 rpm for 35 minutes to obtain a uniform mixed material.

[0066] Molding: The mixed material is placed in a mold preheated to 140°C and having a microporous array microstructure (diameter 0.1mm, depth 0.05mm), and then the mold containing the mixed material is placed in a hot press. A segmented hot pressing process is adopted. First, hot press for 3 minutes at a pressure of 7MPa and a temperature of 135°C, then the pressure is increased to 13MPa, the temperature is raised to 170°C, and hot pressing is continued for 4 minutes. After molding, it is cooled to room temperature and demolded to obtain the initial product of the tool.

[0067] Post-processing: Place the utensils into the UV sterilizer and sterilize them under the UV intensity of 90μW / cm 2 Sterilize for 18 minutes under the conditions of .

[0068] The sterilized utensils are then treated with a low-temperature plasma treatment at a power of 100W for 10 minutes. The surface of the sterilized utensils is then coated with a 14% aqueous polyurethane solution to a thickness of 0.09mm. Quality inspection is then carried out, and qualified products are packaged and stored.

[0069] Comparative Example 1

[0070] Pretreatment of recycled broken tableware flakes: Collect the tableware flakes as tableware flake raw materials, simply rinse them with clean water, put them in a dryer, and dry them at 80°C for 4 hours.

[0071] The utensils made from the tableware recycled in this application cannot be used as tableware again, but can be used as flower baskets, fruit baskets, etc.

[0072] To test the waterproof performance of flower baskets and fruit baskets made from recycling tools, a larger container was prepared. 100 flower baskets from each of Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, and Comparative Example 1 were taken and completely immersed in water, with the water level being higher than the top of the baskets. After soaking for a period of time, such as 2-4 hours, the baskets were removed and their waterproof performance was measured using an instrument. The waterproof performance was statistically graded and plotted as shown in the attached figure. Figure 1 .

Claims

1. A method for forming a plant fiber-based tool, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1. Pre-treatment of recycled broken tableware: The collected tableware flakes are first cleaned to remove surface impurities and dust, and then dried to reduce the moisture content of the tableware flakes to 10%-15%; Then, the dried tableware pieces are put into a grinder for coarse grinding, and the fiber particle size after grinding is controlled to be 2-5mm; The coarsely crushed fibers are then fed into a grinder for fine grinding to obtain tableware sheet powder with a particle size of 0.1-0.5 mm; Mix tableware sheet powder with 5%-10% sodium hydroxide solution in a ratio of 1:3-1:5, stir at 40-60°C for 2-4 hours, then wash with water until neutral, and dry twice to reduce the moisture content to 5%-8%. S2, granulation: the prepared tableware sheet powder is added with calcium powder and carbon black in a ratio of 95:3:2 to form an intermediate material, and the intermediate material is placed in a granulator for granulation; S3. Preparation of mixed material: 70-80 parts of the granulated intermediate material, 10-20 parts of starch, 5-10 parts of natural resin, 2-5 parts of a waterproofing agent, 1-3 parts of an oil repellent, and 3-6 parts of nano-titanium dioxide with a mass fraction of 0.5%-1% are added, and the mixture is placed in a high-speed mixer and mixed at a speed of 1000-1500 rpm for 30-60 minutes to obtain a uniform mixed material; S4, molding: placing the mixed material into a mold, preheating the mold to 120-150°C, then placing the mold containing the mixed material into a hot press, and hot pressing the mold at a pressure of 10-15 MPa and a temperature of 150-180°C for 5-10 minutes. After molding, the mold is cooled to room temperature and demolded to obtain a primary product of the tool; S5. Post-processing: Place the utensils into the ultraviolet sterilization equipment and sterilize them under the ultraviolet intensity of 50-100μW / cm 2 Sterilize for 15-30 minutes under the conditions of , after which quality inspection is carried out and qualified products are packaged and put into storage.

2. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: In the pretreatment step of the recycled tableware flakes after crushing, steam explosion technology is used to process the tableware flakes that have been dried twice, with a steam pressure of 1.5-2.5 MPa and a pressure holding time of 3-5 minutes. After the explosion, the tableware flakes are crushed to control the fiber length to 0.5-1 mm.

3. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of preparing the mixed material, adding 0.5%-1% by mass of nano titanium dioxide can form a thin film with photocatalytic activity on the surface of the utensil, which can not only enhance the antibacterial property of the utensil, but also improve the stain resistance of the utensil to a certain extent.

4. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: In the molding step, a segmented hot pressing process is adopted, first hot pressing for 2-3 minutes at a pressure of 5-8 MPa and a temperature of 120-140°C, then the pressure is increased to 10-15 MPa, the temperature is raised to 150-180°C, and hot pressing is continued for 3-7 minutes.

5. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: In the post-treatment step, the sterilized utensils are subjected to surface coating treatment, the coating material is an aqueous polyurethane solution with a mass fraction of 10%-15%, and the coating thickness is 0.05-0.1 mm.

6. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: After the alkali treatment in the pre-treatment step of the recycled tableware flakes, an ultrasonic assisted cleaning step is added, with an ultrasonic frequency of 20-40kHz and a cleaning time of 10-20 minutes.

7. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: When preparing the mixed material, a plasticizer with a mass fraction of 2%-5% is added, and the plasticizer is a citric acid ester plasticizer.

8. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: In the molding step, the mold uses a mold with a microstructure surface, and the microstructure is a microhole array with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 mm and a depth of 0.05-0.1 mm or a microgroove array with a width of 0.1-0.2 mm and a depth of 0.05-0.1 mm.

9. The method for forming a plant fiber-based tool according to claim 1, wherein: In the post-processing step, a low-temperature plasma treatment step is added after ultraviolet sterilization, with a processing power of 50-100W and a processing time of 5-10 minutes.

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