In everyday life, cardboard surrounds us everywhere. Most often, an association develops with packaging for food, toys, shoes, etc. But in fact, this material is used in industry, construction, design, printing and other industries. Types of cardboard, its properties and scope we consider in detail.
Definition
The word cardboard has Italian roots and means “solid”. In our country, GOST R 53636-2009 “Pulp, paper, cardboard. Terms and definitions ”is regulated as follows:“ In the general sense, the term “paper” can also be applied to the concept of “cardboard”. The difference between paper and cardboard is primarily based on an assessment of their thickness or mass of an area of 1 m 2 , and in some cases also their purpose. ” The raw materials for the production of cardboard are hard wood fibers. Thus, cardboard is the same paper, but has more weight and density. With such a vague definition, the boundary of a clear definition disappears. In practice, there is paper of increased strength, thickness and thin cardboard.
Structure Features
All types of cardboard have one thing in common - layering.
The outer layers (lower and upper) consist of bleached or unbleached pulp, wood pulp or waste paper, previously bleached. And the internal filling is made of cheaper fillers: industrial waste, waste paper, unbleached waste paper.
It should be noted that the lower and upper layers can be duplicated (to be two- or three-layer). The cost of the material is determined by the raw materials and the required characteristics at the outlet. Based on several properties, a conditional classification of the material occurs.
Cardboard classification
There are several options, including German and European. In our country you can meet these:
- By type of raw material: cellulose (cardboard from primary raw materials), waste paper, kraft cardboards.
- By the method of production: coated, uncoated, cast coating, chrome-plated, chromed cardboard, duplex cardboard, triple cardboard, cellulose.
- By appointment: container, printing, filtering, for light industry, technical, construction.
- According to the all-Russian classification: packaging, light and printing industries, technical for various purposes, construction, filtering, automotive, etc.
The European classification has a letter designation and divides the types of cardboard according to the method of production.
In any case, for each application, certain characteristics are required.
The properties
GOST R 53636-2009 gives a complete list of the characteristics of cardboard and paper with links to regulatory documents. The main ones include the following:
- white;
- moisture resistance;
- humidity (water in the material);
- durability;
- rigidity;
- bending stiffness;
- fat permeability;
- strength;
- weight;
- density etc.
As you can see, in order to select certain types of cardboard for a particular application, take into account a fairly wide range of characteristics. Which ones? This will be discussed further.
Cardboard. Types and properties
Consider the main classification of raw materials in conjunction with the properties:
- Cellulose board. Distinctive feature: it produces high-quality printing. And since primary raw materials are used, the fields of application are food, light industry, and printing. Such products have a fairly high price and good strength properties. Therefore, they are used for exclusive goods, printing and packaging.
- Chipboard. It has less rigidity and low price. It can be used in various activities. When choosing, you should take a thicker option, so that when the price of the material is reduced, strength characteristics are preserved.Most often used for consumer goods. Food products require additional isolation of the product from contact with the packaging.
- Kraft cardboard. Refers to pure cellulose production. It has increased strength characteristics at a low price. A distinctive feature is the inside is unbleached.
Special Applications
Children's creativity and design are two popular uses for color cardboard.
And if earlier it was presented in the form of colored sheets, then today variety can please the most inquiring mind and imagination. What types of color cardboard exist?
- Plain color. It happens one-sided and two-sided. Typically used to create the background.
- With drawings. Usually repeating patterns and elements are applied on a color background.
- Holographic. Unusual material, it expands the field of activity for designers and for children.
- Corrugated. It carries the functions of color, and even is voluminous. This material is used not only for crafts, but also for exclusive designer types of packaging, vintage pieces for interior decoration.
Types of cardboard for packaging
This area is worth dwelling on. Cardboard as a packaging firmly entered into human life. Regardless of whether you have visited a grocery, toy or household appliance store, you will pick up your purchase in cardboard packaging from everywhere. The following types of packaging cardboard are distinguished: thin and corrugated cardboard.
The second option can be single-layer and multi-layer. Depends on the number of layers of corrugated cardboard. This is the most popular type of packaging material. As for thin cardboard, it has found its application in food packaging, exclusive perfumes, designer clothes, etc.
When choosing packaging material, pay attention to the following characteristics:
- rigidity;
- strength;
- barrier properties;
- bulk;
- weight;
- raw materials.
The popularity of cardboard packaging is due to its advantages.
Benefits
The main advantages of cardboard packaging include:
- Environmental friendliness. Either wood fibers or waste paper are used. In the first case, hygiene is observed, in the second, the forest is preserved due to re-processing.
- Light weight, strength, rigidity. When compared with materials such as plastic boxes, metal boxes, cardboard wins in weight, which saves money on transportation.
- Convenience of storage. Many people use cardboard packaging several times. And when they do not need it, they lay out and get flat sheets that do not take up much space.
- Disposal This material is unique in that it can be recycled or simply disposed of without harming the environment.
- Low price. Of course, the cost depends on the raw material base used in the manufacture of cardboard. But still, compared with other types of material, cardboard has a low value.
- A wide range of products allows you to carry out various types of cardboard boxes. This is a very small gift, and large for the transport of furniture.
With this list of advantages, of course, there are a couple of drawbacks: opacity; collapses under direct exposure to moisture. The first problem is solved by inserting polymer films in the form of windows, and the second by special polymer coatings.
Cardboard due to its unique properties and relatively low prices will always be popular. Another issue is nature conservation. If only deforestation is present, the environment will suffer.