Water repellent cloth carry bags for packaging applications

• Main Authors: Saravanan, M., Iniya, R.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Contact angle; Fabrics; Hydrophobicity; Leaves; Melting points; Residues; Test methods; Waxes
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0108150

Banana and Lotus cultivation yields a large enormous amount of farming residues namely pseudo-stems and leaves. These forms a trace and may be regarded as an unutilized sustainable biomass resource. We proposed to utilize the banana and Lotus leaves residue as another natural wax. The banana and lotus leaf wax content were extracted using Soxhlet procedures and acquired key active compounds from the leaves. The leaf extracts obtained will be tested for bio active compounds identification using FTIR test methods. Fabrics were treated using pad-dry-cure finishing process for application of extracted wax. Hydrophobicity of banana leaf and lotus leaf is due to its surface that contained a layer of hydrophobic wax, the wax that constructs hydrophobic surfaces. The melting point of banana leaf and lotus leaf wax is higher than the other commercial natural waxes. The treated fabrics were tested for FTIR, contact angle test and then subjected to Water repellency test methods following AATCC spray rating test methods. The characteristics of banana leaf and Lotus leaf wax are high repellent property tested by the contact angle and water repellency spray tester based on AATCC standard which results 90 degrees of hydrophobicity and 70 ISO grade exhibits on the wax coated fabrics respectively and high melting point which has 82 degree and 96 degree Celsius of banana leaf and lotus leaf respectively, low adhesive force stability and self-cleaning behaviour.