Introduction:

In this project we have tried to make a handmade exam pad using corn cob. Generally people throw corn cobs as a waste after extracting corn seeds. Here our approach is towards waste management. Corn waste is rich in fiber and can be transformed into various useful products. The exam pad which we have made is biodegradable and environment friendly.

Materials required:

1. Corn cob
2. Adhesive
3. Plywood

Procedure:

Three to four big sized cleaned and dried corn cobs are crushed by using iron mortar and pestle. After getting some granules, an electric centrifuge is used to make it powder. A dough is prepared by adding adhesive(Fevicol) with the powder. By spreading polythene sheet on the plywood frame, the dough is set like a pad according to the frame. Another polythene sheet is covered on the wet pad and a piece of plywood is pressed. Weight is added to compress the pad by using bricks and put it under the sun. For more mechanical strength, thin bamboo strips can be added inside the pad. After compressing for 5 hours, loads and top polythene cover are removed. Again the pad is exposed to sun light for getting harder. When the pad is hard enough, it is taken out from the frame and bottom polythene cover is peeled out to get the desired exam pad.

Scientific fact:

Corn cob is a hard core and also called the grain-bearing part. Its elementary ingredients are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.

1-Cellulose: It is a major structural component of plant cell walls, providing strength and rigidity.

2-Hemicellulose: It is found in plant cell walls. It is a branched polymer with a lower degree of polymerization than cellulose and is more easily degraded than cellulose.

3-Lignin: It is the second most abundant organic polymer on Earth, after cellulose. It is a complex, natural polymer that provides structural support and rigidity to plant cell walls, particularly in wood and bark.

Advantages:

1. This exam pad is made from waste.
2. Our exam pad is biodegradable and environment friendly.
3. It is cheaper and cost effective.

Designer:
Er. Anil Kumar Prusty
WhatsApp: +91 9861004895