Sugar Cane Laminations

I did some micro-laminations with the sugar cane scrap following the same process as with the rice straw. I'm calling them micro-laminations but the larger of the two was bigger than my hand. The larger lamination became increasingly rigid as it dried and by yesterday it had become nearly solid. The scale of the sugar cane scrap is much closer to the size of oriented strand board and it seems to be much more promising as a prospect in manufacturing.

Composite Attempts

While pacing my kitchen wondering how I could make identical two-part molds to compress different composite combinations I saw a muffin tin...A more perfect composite testing tray has never been created. Two identical tins form a perfect two-part mold that provides uniform compression, a slight draft makes release easy and the non-stick surface ensures no material or adhesive sticks to the tray.

The six combinations pictured hanging below were: (left to right)

1. Thin Begasse & Wood Glue dyed with indigo

2. Rice Hull & Wood Glue

3. Begasse & Wheat Paste (flour,sugar,water)

4. Thin Rice Straw & Rice-based Glue

5. Begasse & Wood Glue

6. Rice Straw & Wheat Paste (flour,sugar,water)

The thin begasse compressed with wood glue was by far the biggest success in creating a rigidity although all the samples dried to a solid state. When I attempted to dye the begasse & wood glue sample with a water based indigo substitute the dyed portion of the sample lost all rigidity within a minute and nearly fell off. Although this might be perceived as a negative attribute, there may be a niche market for a rigid natural composite which dissolves in water almost instantaneously...

Once completely dry, the larger sample that I made became completely rigid and was able to hold the weight of several heavy books while spanning two desks (pictured above). The sample hardly deflected and I believe that it could have upheld much more weight.

Composites

Further investigation of our given materials by myself and my classmates has outlined one clear path to structure: composites.

Composites n. - engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or microscopic scale within the finished structure.

Typically these "two (or more) materials" bring together different types of structure or adhesive to create a single, stronger material. Common examples of composites are concrete, fiberboard and carbon fiber. All of these materials combine a material of compression or tensile strength with a bonding agent which gives the whole composite the strength of the individual units being bonded. In the use of concrete the compression strength of individual rocks combine to create a solid road. Coincidentally there is another advanced studio within our department exploring the possibilities of natural fiber composites. The "Composite Studio" will be using bast fibers (mostly jute) in mat form which have been impregnated with a thermo-sensative bonding agent or needle-punched with a polypropylene mat that acts to bind the fibers in a heated press. The materials used in the composite class have been fully developed and the class is focused on reshaping and repurposing those developed materials. Our class is focused on the development of raw fibers into a 'repurposable', marketable material for industry or craft. Communication between our classes has been mutually beneficial and crossover with equipment, processes and purpose will be useful as we continue working.

Our Materials

The four materials we will be experimenting with and repurposing are: (from top to bottom)

Bagasse (Pulp from Sugar Cane)

Sugar Cane Scraps

Rice Straw

Rice Hull

Although all these materials are byproducts of Poaceae or grain plants, the structure, texture and behavior of these materials are all very different. Like all materials, these byproducts come with strengths and weaknesses that we will have to understand and consider in our constructions.

"All materials have their own qualities and qualifications. Each kind has laws of its own which demand considerate treatment at he artist's hand. You cannot expect to produce good works if you treat your materials without reference to their nature."

John Howard Benson

Creator of the RISD Seal

Micro-Laminations

During a discussion with my professor about the tensile strength of the ricestrawshe picked up one of the thicker strands and flattened it with a weight against my desk. The straw flattened to a ribbon and she picked it up and asked "Now, what could you do with that?" The lustrous quality of the straw reminded me of wood veneer and I wondered if straw could be laminated like veneer to give it structure. I made two tiny curvilinear jigs as if I was laminating wood veneer with apositiveand negative shape and opposing struts for alignment. I quickly layered seven ribbons of straw with wood glue, slid them into the jig on top of each other and clamped it tight. When I released the jig I found that the straw had adhered to itself and thus hadadopted the jig's curves. Although the structure wasspringyrather than solid, like the wooden laminations I am accustomed to handling, it was still promising to see raw, brittle straw take on structure and form with the addition of an adhesive and simple mechanical pressure. I did another test with a glued 'jumble' of straw on a wider jig and it was equally successful in retaining its shape and structural strength. This second test seemed more promising because it was less time consuming and would be easier to incorporate in a manufacturing processes. Although manufacturing still seems far off this is a promising first step towards structure.

An amazing use of natural composites to create structure. The article below states that the chair is composed of 100% natural hemp fibers pressed under specific heat with an "ecological glue" as a binder. Milan's design week 2012 here we come.

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/13610/werner-aisslinger-hemp-chair.html