Natural swollen finger grass fibers being novel are botanically known as “Chloris barbata fibers (CBFs)” and are selected for this study in order to understand their morphological properties. The CBF has higher cellulose (65.37 wt%) content and lower density (634 kg/m3). Crystallinity Index (CI) of CBF was calculated from X-ray diffraction studies and is valued as 50.29%. The surface of CBF was examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for observing the surface morphology. Structural characterization and Chemical functional group were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The thermal behavior of CBFs was determined using TG and DTG curves from Thermo gravimetric (TG) analysis. Findings show that the fiber has a semi-elongated nearly circular cross-sectional shape, the fiber diameter is between 180 and 200 μm. TG analysis revealed that these fibers are thermally stable until 210°C. Thus the characterization results confirm the possibility of using CBF for the manufacture of sustainable fiber reinforced polymer composite.
The research article aims to characterize the physicochemical, morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of novel Cereus Hildmannianus Fibers (CHFs) are reported for the first time in this work. The lower density (1.364 ± 0.026 g/cm3) with high cellulose content of the CHF (58.40 ± 0.56 wt.%) provides better tensile strength 2013–2897 Mpa makes it an attractive option for synthetic fibers. FTIR and X-ray analysis proved that CHF is rich in cellulose content with crystallinity index (46.19%) and crystalline size (28.27 nm), which indicates that the CHF is thermally stable until 285.9°C. Moreover, the large crystalline sizes can reduce the water absorption characteristics. The strong presence of microfibril through scanning electron micrographs assists admirable bonding properties. The results are substantiating the potential of CHFs as reinforcement in composites industries with its significant possessions.
1 December 2018 in Journal of Magnesium and Alloys
The chemical microstructural, physical, and thermal properties of the Morus alba L. stem fibers (MAFs) are described for the first time in this work. By analyzing the results of chemical composition, it was observed that the cellulose content of the stem of MAFs is an acceptable value when compared with other fibers and showed better results. Due to their lightweight (1316 kg/m3) and the presence of high cellulose content (58.65%) with very little amount of wax (0.56%), they provide good bonding properties. In addition, analyzing the results of X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, we observe a degree of crystallinity of 62.06%, which is closely associated with the presence of crystalline cellulose, while the other components are amorphous. The diameter of the extracted cellulosic fibers was in the range 6–20 µm. Moreover, it was possible to identify the degradation step of each primary component of lignocellulosic fiber and to observe that it is thermally stable up to 216°C. The characterization results show that the MAF is a better replacement material for synthetic fibers because of its significant physical, chemical, and thermal properties.
Musa paradisiaca L. blossom petal (MPBP) fibers are extracted from banana plant agro-based domestic waste. The properties of MPBP fibers were reported for the first time in this communication. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the crystallinity index and size of 56.71% and 16.38 nm, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis indicates that the MPBP fibers are thermally stable up to 220°C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis gives two thermal degradation temperatures of 368.1 and 476.8°C with kinetic activation energy of 62.43 kJ. Tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and strain at failure were determined from the single fiber tensile test as 108 MPa, 1.05 GPa, and 11.15%, respectively.