Effect of relative humidity on energy absorption properties of honeycomb paperboards

Abstract

Abstract The effect of relative humidity (RH) on the energy absorption characteristics of honeycomb paperboard is investigated experimentally. Results indicate that RH has no significant effect on plateau stress, or energy absorption capacity of honeycomb paperboard in RH range between 40–75%, but its energy absorption properties decrease substantially with the increasing of RH when the RH exceeds 75%. It is concluded that RH is a significant consideration for honeycomb paperboard as a cushioning material used in extremely humid environments most probably encountered in south‐east coast of China, while under ordinary circumstances, there is no need to consider the effect of RH. Energy absorption diagram based on the effect of RH is constructed from the stress‐strain curves obtained from tests, and its application for a given energy absorption task is exemplified. The model established in this paper could be used for practical application for the designing optimization and material selection of packaging products in actual logistics environments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.