Artificial Sponges Research Paper

Some sponges are made for different reasons, but all serve the same basic purpose. They are made to absorb liquids. It doesn’t matter if the sponge is from the sea, or from a factory, they both use wicking and surface tension in order to absorb sponges. This use is what allowed the sponge to soak its way into history. Sponge absorption is the key power that utilizes wicking and surface tension to soak up liquids. Wicking, or capillary action, allows water to be stored in sponges when they soak up liquids. According to World Book Student, capillary action is the movement of liquid in tiny holes, called capillaries (Thompson, 2015). This is also called wicking. Capillary action is found within all sponges, when they absorb a liquid. Without
Artificial sponges are made in different shapes and in different materials to better fit specific uses of the user. Cellulose sponges are seen a lot in kitchens, and can be used in multiple ways. This is the generic sponge that is easy and cheap to make. A newer form of the sponge is the Melamine sponge. This sponge is specialized with a cleaning foam that can absorb water while being almost as hard as glass. The tile/grout sponge is a large, foamy and soft sponge that is usually used in heavy duty work, like cleaning floors and cars. One of the reasons why artificial sponges overshadowed the sea sponge at the start of the 20th century, and the 21st century, was because they’re easier to make. Most sponges are made mostly of cellulose, which is known for being the most common organic compound on earth. The process starts when cellulose fibers, sodium sulphate crystals, hemp fibers, and dye are mixed in a tumble drum. Then, they are cut into rectangular shapes and are cooked. What this does, is melt the sodium sulphate crystals, and leaves little holes in the cellulose. After that, the sponge goes through a cleaning process to make it suitable for the market. Lastly, the sponges are cut into even smaller pieces, packaged, and shipped out. ( Marie ) In the end, the variety and the
In ancient civilizations, people harvested and used sponges differently than today. They were held at great value in places like Greece, Rome, and Egypt, because of how difficult it was to harvest them. To do this, men would dive naked into the water with a stone, so they could sink quicker. The diver would then cut the sponges off the sea floor, and bring them up to the surface. Much like today, they were used for bathing, and cleaning. They were also used to line the insides of warrior’s helmets. Today, humans have developed more efficient ways of harvesting sponges. Divers with oxygen tanks dive down and cut sponges from the sea floor with specialized knives or hooks. They are used for bathing and cleaning, but today, are rarely used for aligning the insides of battle helmets. (The Sea Sponge Company, 2012). After the invention of the artificial sponge in the 1940s, natural sponges have been declining in sales, but are still sold. The whole view on sponges have evolved over the course of centuries, from treasured and scarce, to essential and