High Tech and Low Tech Corn Cob Products

It is easy to find exciting information about the new uses of corn for bio-fuel and other products. Besides animal feed and products for human consumption, the high tech products are fascinating. But do you ever think about the lowly corncob? What was once only a by-product to be disposed of is now a source of organic material that has many uses.

Cobs are processed and divided into three kinds of particles. The beeswings, or chaff, are the soft, fuzzy parts you see after corn has been shelled from the cob. It is the largest of the particle types. The very center of the cob is the very light, white pith. It almost seems like some kind of foam, it is so spongy. Around the pith, and between pith and beeswings, is the woody ring. It is the hardest of the layers, and is what holds the cob in shape. Each of these layers is separated and ground into particles of various sizes, depending on the intended use. Some of the chaff products may be used as pesticide carriers, but these are labeled by chemical manufacturers as part of their product. The pure corncob products are essentially odorless and have no toxic chemical additives.

The basic products are absorbent products made from pith and chaff of the cob, and grit products made from the woody ring. The absorbent products include larger particles used as animal litter for farm use, and you can find it bagged for use as pet litter for all small animals such as cats, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, and guinea pigs, with a slightly different texture for birds. It is a completely biodegradable product, safe for use in your home.

The absorbent products are also used to clean up environmental spills. The absorbency of the pith and chaff are about 300% of the weight. In a "de-watering" application, it will soak up excess liquids in sludge, making removal and cleanup safer and more complete.

Pith/chaff is also compressed into pellets. This makes it easier to handle and store. These are often reground into smaller particles and moistened to use as humus for growing mushrooms.

The grit particles derived from the woody ring of the corncobs is used as pressure blasting grit. It works safely on aluminum and wood, and does not possess the aggressive nature of sand in blasting. It also does not spark in use, and it is easy on pressure machine bearings. Another industrial use for the corncob grit is in the finishing processes of making metal parts. It is used to dry the metal parts in vibratory corn cob dryer machines. Cob grit also de-burrs metal parts; it will polish them, usually all in one process as they pass through the dryer machine.

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