Cork and its uses

Cork is the bark of the cork oak which i s found along the shores of the West- ern Mediterranean. When the tree is twenty years old the cork i s stripped from the trunk and at nine-year intewals thereafter. Cork i s composed of tiny air-filled cells held together by a natural resinous binder. Because of this structure cork i s light, compressible, resilient, and waterproof. Cork has a low thermal conductivity and a high coefficient of friction. Cork has b e a shown to contain tannins, phlobaphaes, lignin, and cerin. Glycerin and several acids h o e been obtained by saponification. Natural cork is used to manufacture stoppers, life presewers, and many other articles. Scraps of cork are ground and used i n the manufacture of cork composition from which gaskets, polishing wheels, crown seels, and numerous other articles are made. Corkboard for insulation and cork tile, cork carpet, and linoleum for floors, are manufactured from cork.