JP2007124941A - Raising seedling structure and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a raising seedling structure where seeds are stably held on a mat to facilitate germination management of the seeds. <P>SOLUTION: The raising seedling structure 10 has the following: a mat part 11 formed into a plate state by bonding ground/dispersed fibers with a bonding agent; and a seed holding layer 12 formed by coating the surface of the mat part 11 with bonding agent components such as starch paste and synthetic resin paste so as to sow unhulled rice thereon. The structure enables stable retention of the seeds on the mat to facilitate the germination management of the seeds. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure for raising seedlings for germinating seeds such as rice and flowers to form a seedbed for paddy rice cultivation and a method for producing the same.

  Conventionally, a structure for raising seedlings formed in a mat shape has been used as a means for reducing the sowing work and the adjustment work of the bed soil for growth and improving the efficiency of paddy rice cultivation. Such a structure for raising seedlings is obtained by mixing seeds together with plant fibers, synthetic resin foams, inorganic materials, fertilizers, water-soluble adhesives, etc., and drying them to harden them, or water these. It is mixed into a slurry, formed into a sheet, dried, and the like. Furthermore, for example, the following techniques are known as improvements for such a nursery bed structure.

  In Patent Document 1, a seedling mat made by molding rock wool is made to support a methane fermentation solution, and further, a predetermined amount of granular fertilizer or liquid fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, magnesium, etc. is added. The mat is described.

  In Patent Document 2, a cotton-like pulp obtained by crushing or pulverizing paper in a dry manner and seeds are mixed to promote germination of the seeds sowed as a material for sowing / growth floor. It is disclosed.

In Patent Document 3, a staple made of polylactic acid fibers and a staple of polycaprolactone are uniformly blended at a predetermined ratio, and the mixed staples are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces of the mat at a predetermined temperature. There has been proposed a seedling mat that is heated at a temperature and has three-dimensional fusion of staples.
JP 2002-153139 A JP-A-6-141622 JP-A-11-206257

However, the prior art described in the patent document has the following problems.
In conventional seedling structures where seeds are mixed with plant fibers or inorganic materials together with water-soluble adhesives, etc., dried and solidified, heat and moisture are added during the manufacturing process. However, seeds have become unable to germinate or, on the contrary, germinate before use, and there is a problem that the germination management of seeds after production is difficult.

  In the seedling mat of Patent Document 1, in addition to the fact that rock wool is the main component, its environmental safety is questioned, and in addition, it may be difficult to manage fertilizer addition treatment and subsequent treatment, and lack handleability. There was a problem that there was. Furthermore, since the rock wool tissue has a high strength, the roots of germinated seeds tend not to extend from the upper surface to the lower surface of the mat, and therefore the germination rate tends to be low.

  In the sowing / growth bed material of Patent Document 2, it is difficult to uniformly disperse seeds having different specific gravities in cotton-like pulp. In addition, since seeds are held inside the mat, there is a problem that it is difficult to adjust timing such as germination time. Furthermore, depending on the type of raw material containing cotton-like pulp, there are variations in its components and properties, so it is difficult to control the strength characteristics of the material for sowing and growth floor formed in a mat shape. Therefore, there is a problem that handling is difficult in a rice planting machine or the like in which a mat material is cut into a predetermined size and planted in soil.

  In the seedling mat using the biodegradable resin of Patent Document 3, a relatively expensive raw material such as polylactic acid fiber and a complicated manufacturing process are required, so that the raw material cost and its property management are not economical. In addition, there has been a problem that the seeds that have been sowed cannot be stably retained on the mat to fix the seeds.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described conventional problems, and provides a structure for raising seedlings that can stably retain seeds on a mat and easily perform germination management of seeds, and has a complicated manufacturing process. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a structure for raising seedlings that is excellent in raw material cost and germination.

(1) The structure for raising seedlings of the present invention, which has been made to solve the conventional problems, is a plate-like mat portion formed by adhering crushed and dispersed fibers with a binder, and the surface of the mat portion. And a seed holding layer formed by coating an adhesive component such as starch paste and synthetic resin paste, on which seeds such as seed pods are fixed and held.

(2) The structure for raising seedlings of the present invention according to (1), wherein the mat portion includes a entangled tissue composed of plant fibers and chemical fibers dispersed and bonded between the plant fibers, and the plant fibers A and the chemical The weight mixing ratio (A / B) with the fiber B is also in the range of 10-30.

(3) The structure for raising seedlings of the present invention is characterized in that in (1) or (2), the mat portion contains a fertilizer component for germinating seeds. .

(4) The structure for raising seedlings according to the present invention is characterized in that in (1) to (3), a net-like or sheet-like reinforcing material is laminated and disposed on the surface side of the mat portion or inside thereof. Have.

(5) The method for producing a seedling structure according to the present invention is the method for producing a seedling structure according to (1) to (4), wherein (a) the paper material is pulverized using a shredder or a sieve. A pulverization adjustment step for adjusting and obtaining a plant fiber of a predetermined size; and (b) a fiber composition having a predetermined mixing ratio by mixing the plant fiber with a chemical fiber such as nylon or polyester in a stirring airflow or in a screw stirrer. And (c) a fiber laminate in which the fiber composition is dispersedly supplied to the upper opening of the filling mold formed in a box shape and deposited and deposited on the bottom of the filling mold in the laminating direction. A hot press process in which a mat part is formed by press forming while heating; (d) a fertilizer component supporting process in which the mat part is impregnated with a liquid fertilizer component; and (e) seeds such as seed pods are sown. The surface of the mat part Coating the adhesive component such as N glue or synthetic resin glue with a coating step of forming a seed holding layer.

(6) The method for producing a seedling structure according to the present invention is a method for producing a seedling structure according to any one of (1) to (4) above, and is prepared by adding fibers to water containing starch paste. The mat portion is formed by a paper making process in which a liquid material is filtered through a screen mesh to form a sheet containing the fiber.

  According to the structure for raising seedlings of the present invention, the seed holding layer is provided on the surface of the mat portion formed by bonding the fibers with a binder, so that the seeds can be stably held on the mat to facilitate the germination management of the seeds. Can be done.

  Further, according to the method for producing a seedling structure of the present invention, a fiber composition obtained by mixing plant fibers with chemical fibers is dispersedly supplied to the upper opening of the filling mold and settled at the bottom of the filling mold. Since the fiber laminate to be deposited is heated and press-molded in the direction of lamination to form a mat part, and a seed holding layer is formed on the surface of the mat part, the cost of raw materials and its germination can be reduced without requiring a complicated manufacturing process. An excellent method for producing a seedling structure can be provided.

  According to the method for producing a structure for raising seedlings of the present invention, the liquid material prepared by adding fibers to water containing starch paste is filtered through a screen net to form the sheet containing the fibers, thereby forming the sheet. Since the mat portion is used, a mat portion having various component forms can be formed by using a relatively simple facility, and a structure for raising seedlings excellent in raw material cost and germination can be manufactured.

  The structure for raising seedlings of the present embodiment includes a mat part formed by adhering a fiber component crushed and dispersed by a shredder or a sieve with a binder such as a synthetic resin or a paste, and starch paste on the surface of the mat part. A seed holding layer formed by coating an adhesive component such as a synthetic resin paste with a predetermined thickness and seeded with seed pods such as paddy rice. Thus, the seed can be stably held in the seed holding layer by spreading the seeds on the seedling-raising structure at a predetermined time, and the germination management of the seed can be easily performed.

The mat portion is a bulk portion in which fibers such as paper pulp are pressure-bonded via a binder to form a rectangular shape or a belt shape having a thickness of about 15 to 25 mm. In this way, in addition to providing the predetermined strength necessary for grasping and handling the seedling-raising structure on which the seeds are dispersed with a rice planting machine, etc., moisture for maintaining the germination environment of the dispersed seeds And has a function to carry nutrients.
For the fiber, waste paper and pulp (including unbleached pulp and semi-bleached pulp) are crushed to a specified size, and chemical fibers such as polyolefin, polyester, and polyethylene, or a mixture of these at a specified mixing ratio, etc. Can be applied.
As the binder, in addition to natural materials such as starch paste, synthetic resin binders such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyester can be used.

The seed holding layer is a portion having a thickness of about 15 to 25 mm formed by coating an adhesive component such as starch paste or synthetic resin paste with a predetermined thickness on one surface of the mat portion. The seeds sprayed on the seed holding layer are captured by the adhesive component and fixed in a bonded or buried state.
As the adhesive component, starch paste or a well-known synthetic resin can be applied, but it is particularly preferable to use starch paste that is assimilated with planted soil and excellent in environmental protection.

The structure for raising seedlings of the present embodiment includes a entangled tissue in which the mat portion is composed of plant fibers and chemical fibers that are dispersed and bonded between the plant fibers, and the weight mixing ratio of the plant fibers A and the chemical fibers B. (A / B) can also be made into the range of 10-30. In the entangled tissue formed by entanglement of such plant fibers and chemical fibers, it is possible to retain gaps between the fibers for germinating seeds and supplying nutrients and moisture after germination. It is possible to ensure durability.
Examples of the chemical fiber include nylon and polyester. In particular, polyester fiber is preferable because it melts at a low melting point and can firmly bond plant fibers.

The weight mixing ratio (A / B) of the vegetable fiber and the chemical fiber is preferably in the range of 10-30. When the weight mixing ratio is less than 10, the plant fiber A is relatively reduced, and it is difficult to obtain a material having sufficient thickness, strength and durability for stably holding the seed on the mat.
On the contrary, when the composition exceeds 30, the proportion of the chemical fiber B is relatively increased and the ratio of the chemical fiber B is decreased, and the strength and durability of the mat portion formed in a plate shape or the like tend to decrease. A / B) is in the range of 10-30.

The structure for raising seedlings of the present embodiment can also contain a fertilizer component for germinating and growing seeds in the mat portion. Thereby, the growth after seed germination can be promoted, and productivity can be improved.
As a fertilizer component, the solid or liquid thing containing phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), potassium (K) etc. is applicable. When the fertilizer component is liquid, it is supported by spraying the liquid fertilizer component on the dry mat portion or impregnating the liquid fertilizer component. In the case where the fertilizer component is solid, a predetermined ratio of solid fertilizer can be dispersed and mixed in the fiber constituting the mat portion in the mat portion manufacturing process.

  In the seedling-raising structure of the present embodiment, a reinforcing material such as a net shape, a sheet shape, or a thread shape can be laminated and disposed on the surface side of the mat portion or inside thereof. As a result, durability can be imparted to a relatively low-strength mat portion formed by bonding fibers with a binder such as resin or paste, and the structure for raising seedlings can be made to a predetermined size with a rice transplanter or the like. The handling efficiency when cutting and handling can be improved, and work efficiency can be improved.

  The reinforcing material is in the form of a net, a sheet, or a thread formed of vegetable fiber, etc. The net-like thing has a stitch of about 5 cm square and has the strength of a damped yarn. A thing using fiber etc. is applicable. Such a net-like net can be arranged in the mat portion or on the surface thereof to form a sandwich shape. In the case of the net shape, it is desirable to adjust the size of the net and the thickness of the fibers so that the seedling structure is easily cut when using a rice transplanter or the like.

  The method for producing a seedling structure according to the present embodiment includes a pulverization adjustment step in which a paper material is pulverized and adjusted using a shredder or a sieve to obtain plant fibers of a predetermined size, and the vegetative fibers are chemically treated with nylon or polyester. A dispersion mixing step of obtaining a fiber composition having a predetermined mixing ratio by mixing with fibers in a stirring airflow or a screw stirrer, and supplying the fiber composition to the upper opening of a filling form formed in a box shape A heating press step of forming a mat portion by press-molding a fiber laminate deposited and deposited on the bottom of the filling mold in the laminating direction, and a fertilizer for impregnating and supporting a liquid fertilizer component on the mat portion A component carrying step, and a coating step in which a seed holding layer is formed by coating an adhesive component such as starch paste or synthetic resin paste on the surface of the mat portion on which seed pods are seeded. As a result, it is possible to efficiently produce various forms of seedling-raising structures such as boards using cheap paper raw materials such as used ones. Therefore, quality control of adsorption characteristics, durability, shape, and the like can be easily performed.

In the method for producing a seedling-raising structure of the present embodiment, the liquid material prepared by adding fibers to water containing starch paste is filtered through a screen net to form a sheet containing the fibers. It can be a mat part.
After spraying an adhesive such as starch paste on the surface of the mat created in such a papermaking process, it can be dried to further enhance the durability.

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seedling-raising structure of the first embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the structure for raising seedlings 10 of this example is formed by coating a starch paste on the surface of the mat portion 11 and a mat portion 11 obtained by adhering pulp fibers with a starch paste as a binder. Seed holding layer 12.

The mat portion 11 is a substantially plate shape having a length of 580 mm, a width of 280 mm, and a thickness of 25 mm. Cotton-like short fibers (plant fibers) obtained by crushing paper and pulp and a binder (polyester short fibers. For example, products manufactured by Teijin Limited. Name Tepyrus (registered trademark) is mixed at a mixing ratio of (pulp = 280-300 g, Tepyrus = 10-15 g) and put into a mold, and this is thermocompression-bonded (pressed) at a heating temperature of 160 ° C. for 1-2 minutes. Formed by.
Next, starch paste was applied to one surface of the mat portion 11 to form a seed-holding layer 12 having a thickness of 2 to 5 mm.
As shown in the figure, seeds such as paddy rice were sprayed on the seed holding layer 12 of the seedling structure 10 to form a seed spraying layer 13. Then, if necessary, the mat divided body 10a obtained by cutting the seedling-raising structure 10 into a predetermined size is placed in a medium such as a greenhouse or a rice field to grow seeds.

  Since the seedling-raising structure 10 of Example 1 is configured as described above, seeds can be sprayed on the seed holding layer 12 at a predetermined timing to be stably held, and seed germination management and growth management can be efficiently performed. In addition to being able to be performed, it is also excellent in strength and cutting properties necessary for handling the seedling-raising structure 10, and its productivity can be increased.

(Example 2)
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the method for producing a structure for raising seedlings in Example 2 and its use form. This will be described below with reference to FIG.
In the seedling-raising structure 20 of the second embodiment, first, a mat portion 21 (FIG. 2 (1)) to be a seedbed is created as follows.
That is, a paper material such as waste paper is pulverized and adjusted using a shredder or a sieve to obtain vegetable fibers (pulp cotton) of a predetermined size (pulverization adjusting step).
Next, the obtained vegetable fiber is mixed with chemical fibers (becomes a binder) such as nylon and polyester (for example, Tepyrus (registered trademark) of Teijin Fibers Ltd.) in a stirring airflow or in a screw stirrer. Thus, a fiber composition having a predetermined mixing ratio is obtained (dispersion mixing step).
Then, the mat portion is formed by press-molding the fiber laminate that is distributed and supplied to the upper opening of the filling mold formed in a box shape and is deposited in the bottom of the filling mold while being heated in the laminating direction. 21 is obtained (heat press process).
In addition, in the state of the said pulp cotton, starch paste can be sprayed on pulp cotton and a vegetable fiber can be coated, and durability and intensity | strength of a vegetable fiber can also be improved.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (2), the mat portion 21 is impregnated with a liquid fertilizer component containing phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, etc., and then dried as necessary to allow the fertilizer component to enter the mat portion 21. Support (fertilizer component supporting step).

  Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (3), the seed retaining layer 22 is formed by coating an adhesive component such as starch paste on the surface of the mat portion 21 to be sown (covering step).

  Next, the seed layer 23 can be arranged in the seed holding layer 22 in a state where seeds such as paddy rice and flowers are spread on the seed holding layer 22 and embedded or placed so as to spread the seeds (see FIG. 2 (4)).

Finally, if necessary, a medium layer 24 made of rice soil or the like is covered with a predetermined thickness so as to cover the seeds (FIG. 2 (5)).
According to the above manufacturing method, it is possible to efficiently manufacture various structures for raising seedlings such as a board using an inexpensive paper raw material such as used ones. In addition, it is possible to cope with variations in the raw materials by adjusting the mixing ratio of plant fibers and chemical fibers, and quality control such as durability and shape can be easily performed.

(Example 3)
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a method for producing a mat portion used in the seedling-raising structure of the third embodiment. Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the mat portion will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, paper materials such as used paper tubes and used paper were pulverized into a cotton shape using a shredder, and this was classified and adjusted with a sieve to prepare a cotton-like raw material having a size of short fibers.

  Next, the cotton-like substance made of the plant fiber is stirred and dispersed for a predetermined time in a stirring tank 30 such as a screw type and stored in the storage tank 30a. The processed product is dried by bringing it into contact with high-temperature dry air using a spray dryer or the like, or by blowing hot air generated in the rotary kiln 31 into the dryer 32.

  The cotton-like plant fiber thus obtained is conveyed through a transport means such as a vacuum pump 33, a blower, or a conveyor, and a chemical fiber (binder) such as nylon or polyester and a stirring air stream such as an air stirrer A fiber composition in which the weight mixing ratio (vegetable fiber / chemical fiber) becomes 0.5 to 0.8 by mixing in a screw stirrer 35 that rotates and mixes a roller and a stirring blade in a stirring tank. Got.

  This fiber composition is supplied to the upper opening of the filling mold 36 formed in a box shape via a vacuum pump 33. At this time, the fiber composition is dispersed and supplied while being diffused using compressed air or the like, and is deposited and deposited on the bottom of the filling mold 36 having a depth of 1 to 2 m. As a result, in the process in which raw material cotton made of a mixture of plant fibers and chemical fibers descends in the filling mold 36, a laminated state in which the plant fibers and chemical fibers are uniformly dispersed is obtained. The fiber laminate is taken out by rotating and rotating a rotating mold 37 provided below the filling mold 36 in the horizontal direction.

  Next, it press-forms, heating in the lamination direction using the press machine 38, and it forms in board shape. Thus, the mat portion 39 having a predetermined strength and durability can be obtained. Further, a sheet-like paper can be adhered to the bottom of the mat with starch paste for reinforcement.

Example 4
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an example of a method for manufacturing a mat portion used in the seedling-raising structure of the fourth embodiment. Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing the mat portion will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, a paper material such as a used paper tube or used paper is pulverized into a cotton shape using a shredder, and classified by a sieve to prepare a pulp.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), starch paste is added to water to prepare an aqueous solution having a predetermined concentration (for example, a starch paste solution of 0.1 to 0.2 kg per 1 kg of water). And stored in the papermaking tank 40.

  A predetermined amount of the pulp (for example, 0.1 to 0.2 kg of pulp with respect to 1 kg of starch paste solution) is added to the starch paste solution in the papermaking tank 40 and stirred (FIG. 4B).

Next, a paper cutter (screen mesh) 41 having a mesh size of about 5 to 10 mm is rolled up from the bottom of the papermaking tank 40 (FIG. 4C).
In addition, the mat | matte part made by paper can also be reinforced by arrange | positioning the net | network and thread | yarn which consist of a vegetable fiber etc. as a reinforcing material on the surface of the paper sheet 41.

  In this way, a wet sheet body 42 in which fibers such as pulp are adhered to the paper sheet 41 with starch paste can be obtained (FIG. 4D).

Finally, as shown in FIG. 4 (e), the sheet body 42 is pre-dried, for example, at 100 ° C. × 10 minutes, and then main-dried at 200 ° C. × 5 minutes to form the mat portion 43. it can.
In addition, if necessary, synthetic fiber such as Tepyrus is mixed with pulp cotton as a raw material, and starch paste is sprayed in the cotton state. It is also possible to increase the strength.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure for raising seedlings of an embodiment in which a reinforcing material is interposed in the mat portion. FIG. 5A shows a net-like reinforcing material 51 and the mat portion 11 in the middle of the mat portion 11. A sheet-like reinforcing material 52 is laminated on the lower portion.
(B) is a mixture of a reinforcing material 53 of caulking yarn having a length of 3 mm in the middle of the mat portion 11. A reinforcing material for a sheet 54 (for example, a thin paper such as toilet paper) is laminated and disposed below the mat portion 11.
As the net-shaped reinforcing material, a bracing thread having a 5 cm square stitch shape was applied.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to those of Examples 1 to 4. That is, the gist of the present invention is that a seed holding layer is provided on the surface of the mat portion of the structure for raising seedlings to stably hold the seeds, and what belongs to this is within the scope of the right of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the fertilizer component is liquefied and impregnated in the mat portion. However, the granular or powdered fertilizer component is mixed and uniformly dispersed during mixing and stirring of fibers in the mat portion manufacturing process. May be. Furthermore, seeds such as lawns, silkworms, and flowers can be applied to the seedling-raising structure of the present invention in addition to rice. In addition, by setting not only the upper limit value of the lignin content but also the lower limit value, the processability during cutting processing of the structure for raising seedlings is good while ensuring the caking property and strength necessary for maintaining the form of the mat portion It is also possible to maintain it.

It is a perspective view of the structure for raising seedlings of Example 1. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the manufacturing method of the structure for raising seedlings of Example 2. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a mat portion according to Embodiment 3. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the manufacturing method of the mat | matte part of Example 4. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the cross-section of the mat part of Example 5. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Seedling structure of Example 1 11 Mat part 12 Seed holding layer 20 Seedling structure of Example 2 21 Mat part 22 Seed holding layer 23 Seed layer 24 Medium layer 30 Stirring tank 30a Storage tank 31 Rotary kiln 32 Dryer 33 Vacuum pump 35 Screw stirrer 36 Filling mold 37 Rotating mold 38 Pressing machine 39 Mat part of Example 3 40 Papermaking tank 41 Paper plow (screen net)
42 Sheet body 43 Mat part of Example 4 50 Mat part of Example 5 51-54 Reinforcing material

Claims (6)

  A plate-like mat portion formed by adhering the crushed and dispersed fibers with a binder, and seeds such as seed pods formed by coating the mat surface with an adhesive component such as starch paste or synthetic resin paste. A seed-holding layer that is fixedly held;   The mat portion includes an entangled tissue composed of plant fibers and chemical fibers dispersed between the plant fibers and acting as a binder, and a weight mixing ratio (A / B) of the plant fibers A and the chemical fibers B. ) Is in the range of 10 to 30, the structure for raising seedlings according to claim 1.   The structure for raising seedlings according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mat portion contains a fertilizer component for germinating seeds.   The structure for raising seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a reinforcing material such as a net shape, a sheet shape, or a thread shape is laminated and disposed on the surface side of the mat portion or inside thereof. It is a manufacturing method of the structure for raising seedlings in any one of Claims 1-4,
(A) a pulverization adjustment step for obtaining a plant fiber of a predetermined size by adjusting a paper material using a shredder or a sieve;
(B) a dispersion mixing step of mixing the vegetable fiber with chemical fibers such as nylon and polyester in a stirring airflow or a screw stirrer to obtain a fiber composition having a predetermined mixing ratio;
(C) The fiber composition is distributedly supplied to the upper opening of the filling mold formed in a box shape, and the fiber laminate deposited and deposited on the bottom of the filling mold is press-formed while being heated in the laminating direction. A hot press process for forming a mat portion;
(D) a fertilizer component carrying step for impregnating and carrying a liquid fertilizer component on the mat portion;
(E) a seedling having a coating step of coating a surface of the mat portion on which seeds such as seed pods are sown with an adhesive component such as starch paste or synthetic resin paste to form a seed retaining layer Method for manufacturing a structural member. It is a manufacturing method of the structure for raising seedlings in any one of Claims 1-4, Comprising: The sheet | seat containing the said fiber content by filtering the liquid substance created by adding a fiber content to the water containing starch paste with a screen net | network. A method for producing a structure for raising seedlings, characterized in that the mat portion is formed by a paper making process.

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