Corn construction
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Corn, or maize, has a number of uses. Besides being used for human and livestock consumption, corn can be used to produce ethanol, as a biomass fuel source, and in corn construction.
According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, "corn can be made into fuel, abrasives, solvents, charcoal, animal feed, bedding for animals, insulation, adhesives, and more. The kernel is used as oil, bran, starch, glutamates, animal feed, and solvents. The silk is combined with other parts of the corn plant to be used as part of animal feed, silage, and fuels. Husks are made into dolls and used as filling materials. The stalk is used to make paper, wallboard, silage, syrup, and rayon (artificial silk)."[1]
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[edit] History
Corn has long been used in manufacturing, and there were particular innovations in the United States in the early 1900s. For example, Henry Ford's conceptual Model U car featured tires with corn-based filler and a corn-based fabric roof.
The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, is a building that is decorated with murals and designs made from corn and other grains, and was originally constructed in 1892.
[edit] Husks
The outer husk of corn can be used to make corn husk dolls, txalaparta musical instruments, and other crafts. It is also used in South American countries as a cigarette rolling 'paper'.
[edit] Corncobs
Corncobs, the core of corn ears, are very absorbent. They have been used to make inexpensive smoking pipes, and to transport various materials.
[edit] Cornstarch
Goodyear BioTRED tires are made using a biologic polymer derived from cornstarch as the filler.
[edit] Corn kernel burning stoves and furnaces
Sold out in winter of 2005 with rise in natural gas and fuel oil prices. They have suddenly taken off in sales, which are expected to double next year. Large corn furnaces are capable of heating any size building, and fueling generators to produce electricity. Corn kernels are a natural pellet, which makes corn less expensive than wood byproduct pellets, and more available. Manufactured pellets sold out in 2005, while corn is readily available for a much better price. Heat savings go up to 75% over natural gas or fuel oil.
[edit] Housing materials
Corncobs are increasingly being used as a low-cost, environmentally friendly insulation material for houses.
[edit] Plastics
Recently, corn has been used to make biodegradable containers. Corn can be used to create non-petroleum plastic, which is often compostable.
