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Colynn, Aoniya; Santos, Nicholas

Hydrophobic linings of paper cups made of polyethylene or polylactic acid (PLA) are non-biodegradable and leach harmful chemicals. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, castor wax, and soy wax blends as biodegradable alternatives for paper cup linings. Contact angle measurements, the Cobb test, and mass loss were used to determine the hydrophobicity, resistance to liquid penetration, and cohesion of waxes after submersion in liquids of different temperatures and pH levels over time. Binary mixtures with different ratios between the best-performing waxes, castor and soy, were subsequently tested in conditions where contact angle change was observed to be most extreme in initial testing. All wax blend linings of castor and soy wax demonstrated a statistically significant greater contact angle at all times across all conditions compared to the paper cup and had 37.6% to 59.9% less liquid absorption relative to the paper cup. Findings suggest that it is possible to create an alternative wax lining of castor and soy wax of greater functionality than paper cup linings in terms of hydrophobicity, liquid penetration, and cohesion.

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University of British Columbia. Science One Research Projects; University of British Columbia. SCIE 001

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0444939

Science, Faculty of

Undergraduate

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