Guest guest Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Has anybody else seen this article? Perhaps this will be another way to help support our coconut growers. Cars Could Soon Come With Coconut Components Posted on Thu Jan 8 2009 By: Saikat in Environment , Green News What would you say if you heard that your next car could be made out of coconuts? No, it's not a nutty scenario as some researchers in Baylor University are establishing <http://www.livescience.com/environment/090106-coc onut-cars.html> . They have successfully turned out trunk liners, floorboards and car-door interior covers using fibers from the outer husks of coconuts. This is an environmentally sound replacement to the synthetic polyester fibers usually used in the car industry. Preliminary reports show that coconut replacements can easily meet most of the industry's requirements and that the mechanical properties are just as good as there synthetic counterparts. Coconuts apart from being an environmentally friendly alternative do not burn very well or emit toxic fumes, which is one of the specifications in passing tests required for their certification as commercial automotive parts. This substitute has a lot of possibilities because coconuts are an abundant, renewable resource. The main producers around the world are countries like Philippines, Indonesia, India, Brazil and Thailand. Coconuts now are used chiefly to produce coconut milk or coconut oil. The outer husk is made of fiber and coconut dust (piph). The piph is spongy in the nascent stage, but dries and contracts into dirt-like particles that the research team tested to have the capability to absorb 10 times its weight in water. The fibers strength, stiffness and ductility make it ideal for a lot of diverse applications from ropes and mats to environmentally sound particle boards used in construction work. For application inside cars, the fibers are intermixed with polypropylene fibers and then hot-pressed (compression-moulded) into required shapes. This composite coconut fiber provides a rigid architecture which is lightweight, yet stiff. The project which is the first of its kind hopes to meld a third world abundant product with first world processes. The research team led by Walter Bradley, an engineering professor from the University of Baylor (Texas) is attempting to bring this into the industry's mainstream. They have tied up with a Texas-based fiber processing company that supplies unwoven fiber mats to four major automotive companies. The team is producing a 600-pound roll of the composite material and helping out with the safety performance tests for certification. A success would not only achieve a lot for the environment but also for the 11 million coconut farmers around the world who make an average annual income of $500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Mercedes Benz has coconut coir mat inserted between its seat cushions. Coconut coir/fiber has many uses including landscape use to prevent soil erosion, plant box/plant liners, doormats, some bed real expensive mattresses also contain some coconut mat/fibers to prevent from sagging, etc. You are right, if this project is indeed successful it will alleviate many people in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Hi Virginia, A very interesting post, and I, like you, hope this development will help coconut farmers across the world. The problem is, the coconut farmers usually only get a pittance for their nuts. The added value will be made by the big factories, or companies in rich western countries. Very few farmers have access to the technology which would enable them to make the added value products themselves. So they will always be at the mercy of buyers from companies that usually couldn't care less about the farmer's annual income. I really hope things are changing. There are now people pushing for companies in the west to transfer their technology to poorer nations, and try to make sure the added value stays where it belongs. www.equitrade.org is a good example. Philippine coconut farmers will be able to have their nuts certified Fairtrade within the next couple of years. We have to hope that this will make a difference to the price they get for them. I have my doubts that this would make a massive difference, but having manufacturing plants for products like those mentioned in your post, certainly would. My last point; doesn't this just go to show what an incredible tree the coconut palm is. There are an amazing number of products that can be produced from Cocos nucifera. Take care, Steve > > Has anybody else seen this article? Perhaps this > will be another way to help support our coconut > growers. > > > Cars Could Soon Come With Coconut Components > > Posted on Thu Jan 8 2009 > By: > Saikat > in > Environment > , > Green News > What would you say if you heard that your next car > could be made out of coconuts? No, it's not a > nutty scenario as some researchers in Baylor > University are establishing > <http://www.livescience.com/environment/090106-coc > onut-cars.html> . They have successfully turned > out trunk liners, floorboards and car-door > interior covers using fibers from the outer husks > of coconuts. This is an environmentally sound > replacement to the synthetic polyester fibers > usually used in the car industry. > > Preliminary reports show that coconut replacements > can easily meet most of the industry's > requirements and that the mechanical properties > are just as good as there synthetic counterparts. > Coconuts apart from being an environmentally > friendly alternative do not burn very well or emit > toxic fumes, which is one of the specifications in > passing tests required for their certification as > commercial automotive parts. > > This substitute has a lot of possibilities because > coconuts are an abundant, renewable resource. The > main producers around the world are countries like > Philippines, Indonesia, India, Brazil and > Thailand. Coconuts now are used chiefly to produce > coconut milk or coconut oil. The outer husk is > made of fiber and coconut dust (piph). The piph is > spongy in the nascent stage, but dries and > contracts into dirt-like particles that the > research team tested to have the capability to > absorb 10 times its weight in water. The fibers > strength, stiffness and ductility make it ideal > for a lot of diverse applications from ropes and > mats to environmentally sound particle boards used > in construction work. > > For application inside cars, the fibers are > intermixed with polypropylene fibers and then > hot-pressed (compression-moulded) into required > shapes. This composite coconut fiber provides a > rigid architecture which is lightweight, yet > stiff. > > The project which is the first of its kind hopes > to meld a third world abundant product with first > world processes. The research team led by Walter > Bradley, an engineering professor from the > University of Baylor (Texas) is attempting to > bring this into the industry's mainstream. They > have tied up with a Texas-based fiber processing > company that supplies unwoven fiber mats to four > major automotive companies. The team is producing > a 600-pound roll of the composite material and > helping out with the safety performance tests for > certification. > > A success would not only achieve a lot for the > environment but also for the 11 million coconut > farmers around the world who make an average > annual income of $500. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 I look for fair trade on many items when I shop. I hope along with others that indeed there can be a fair trade certification obtained. I am uncomfortable purchasing products at a reduced rated while the producers suffer in any number of economic and cultural ways. It's a new day and perhaps we can all move together towards fairness in all that we do as fellow citizens of this planet. Peggy Cole Ashman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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