A Study on the Post-treatments of Citrus Pomace-based Soil Covering Materials for Improving Functional Properties

This study investigated the application effects of biodegradable coatings and surface heat treatment to improve the properties of citrus peel soil covering materials used in landscaping and horticulture, aiming to enhance the utilization of citrus by-products. Various coating methods including soaking, roll-coating, and spray coating were applied to address the uneven surface structure of citrus peel soil covering materials. The spray coating method showed the relatively uniform coating results and provided the accurate control of coating amount adjustment. The effects of biodegradable coatings such as starch, acrylic-based coatings, and rosin emulsions were compared and evaluated, revealing that the starch coating exhibited the highest increase in strength while the acrylic-based coating was most effective in enhancing water resistance. It was observed that increasing the number of spray coating times could increase the strength and the resistance to water disintegration. It was possible to increase the coating amount depending on the number of spray coating times, leading to improvements in strength and he resistance to water disintegration. Surface heat treatment using direct flame was conducted, resulting in increased the resistance to water disintegration through surface carbonization. Through these surface coating and treatment methods, this study confirmed the potential for improving the quality and functionality of citrus peel soil covering materials, providing foundational data for the production of functional citrus peel soil covering materials.