Evidence-based research had shown that elevated alkali treatment of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) compromised the mechanical properties of the fiber. In this work, PALF was subjected to differential alkali concentrations: 1, 3, 6, and 9% wt/wt to study the influence on the mechanical and crystal properties of the fiber. The crystalline and mechanical properties of untreated and alkali-treated PALF samples were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and tensile testing analysis. The XRD results indicated that crystal properties of the fibers were modified with 6% wt/wt alkali-treated PALF recording the highest crystallinity and crystallite size of 76% and 24 nm, respectively. The FTIR spectra suggested that all alkali-treated PALF samples underwent lignin and hemicellulose removal to varying degrees. An increase in the crystalline properties improved the mechanical properties of the PALF treated with alkali at 6% wt/wt, which has the highest tensile strength (1620 MPa). Although the elevated alkali treatment resulted in decreased mechanical properties of PALF, crystallinity generally increased. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of PALF not only improve with increasing crystallinity and crystallite size, but are also dependent on the intermediate bond between adjacent cellulose chains.

Linde Type A (LTA) zeolite, with its unique structural properties, has emerged as a potential candidate for controlled drug delivery in biomedical applications. This locally obtained zeolite can be utilised to deliver drugs for the treatment of cancer. The study investigated the synthesis and characterization of LTA zeolite at different temperatures (60°C, 80°C, and 105°C) and their potential for drug delivery. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of LTA zeolite, while helium ion microscopy (HIM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed distinct morphological changes upon drug loading. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis demonstrated variations in surface area, pore size, and pore volume between raw zeolite and drug-loaded zeolite. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed temperature-dependent changes in crystallite size and crystallinity, with average values of 40.89 nm (65.99% crystallinity) at 60°C, 28.40 nm (71.39%) at 80°C, and 29.76 nm (76.37%) at 105°C for raw zeolite. Drug loading further reduced crystallite size to 24.89 nm (70.79%), 16.44 nm (83.78%), and 26.91 nm (68.82%) at 60°C, 80°C, and 105°C, respectively. These results highlight the potential of LTA zeolite as carriers for cancer drugs, with synthesis temperature and drug loading influencing their physicochemical properties and drug delivery potential.