Pamantasan ng Cabuyao

Laguna, Philippines 4025

College of Engineering

Group Members:
Jala, Jacqueline M.
Natividad, Jose Carlo M.
Palacio, Maria Nila Z.

Topic:
Utilization of Corn Stalk in the Production of Wood Putty
Rationale:

Problem Statement
Corn plant in our country had become one of the food plant that use as a food production and
many more. However the abundance of the stalk from this plant had that had been use only for a food to
ruminant’s animal and pose as agro industrial waste in the country. These residues are not efficiently
managed; they are mainly burned in the field. Since there is a lack of waste management, there is a need
for applications of such residues.

Solution of the Problem

One solution is to use the corn stalks’ composition in the production of wood putty, mainly used as
a sealant or filler to fill holes, minor cracks and defacements in wood.

Justification

This study can help the society in its problem in agro industrial waste management, by having the
same chemical property of wood, the researchers can reuse the corn stalk as based materials in forming a
wooden pavement solution. By utilizing its composition an environmental friendly cellulose and lignin based
adhesive can be substituted on polymers as base materials in binding agents. Cellulose as the most
abundant organic polymer and lignin a class of organic polymer which is present in the corn stalk can be a
wood putty to form important structure on damaged wooden objects.

Technical Review:

Bases (Literature)
According to the Chemical Composition Analysis by Zawawi Daud et al (2013), professors in
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, corn stalk is said to contain 35-50% of cellulose and 5 to 34% of
lignin and these cell walls represent steel beams and concrete as to buildings in the structure of woods.
Wang et. al. also stated that lignin acts as a reactive component and can be used in preparing wood
adhesives.

Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. Corn stalk 1. Vacuum Oven 1. Wood putty

2. Epichlorohydrin 2. Mixing
3. NaOH
4. Glyoxal Solution
5. Polyacrylic Ester
6. Sawdust