This study was to investigate the morphology, structure, and chemical properties of the Mendong fibers extracted from Mendong grass (Fimbristylis globulosa) in the form of raw and treated fiber by alkali-included chemical content and functional group and to evaluate the strength and properties of Mendong fibers compared with other natural fibers. These studies explore the chemical properties of the fiber including fiber composition and functional group by FTIR, mechanical properties of fiber, and the structural and morphological analysis of the fiber using SEM and XRD. The results showed that the chemical contents of Mendong fibers were 72.14% cellulose, 20.2% hemicellulose, 3.44% lignin, 4.2% extractive, and moisture of 4.2%–5.2%. Mechanical properties of the fiber were a strong character with tensile strength of 452 MPa, and modulus of 17 GPa. The structural properties of Mendong fiber such as crystallinity, crystalline index, microfibril angle, and crystalline size were 70.17% and 58.6%, 22.9°, and 14.3 nm, respectively. This fiber has competitive advantages compared with other natural fibers and can be developed further as a potential reinforcement of polymer matrix composites.

The influence of chemical treatments on the properties of cantala fiber as well as on the quality of the interfacial bonding of cantala fiber/rHDPE was investigated. The fibers were treated with alkali, silane, and a combination of both. The results showed that the loss of hemicellulose and lignin after the alkali treatment, and the presence of a silane layer on the fiber surface after the silane or alkali-silane treatment, improved the thermal stability, surface energy, and IFSS. The highest surface energy of 45.37 mN/m was obtained during the alkali treatment (NF12). The alkali-silane treatment with 0.75% wt of silane (NSF075) gave the highest thermal stability and IFSS value.

The research aim is to investigate the effect of alkali treatment on the crystalline structure of Mendong fiber. The experiment was conducted by immerse fibers in 100 ml NaOH solution by a concentration of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% for 2 hours at the room temperature. The specimens were characterized by X-ray diffraction method. The morphology of fiber treated by alkali was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope. The result shows that the crystalline structure of cellulose in Mendong fiber was changed in alkali treatment. It was found that both the degree of crystallinity and crystalline index of Mendong fiber was increased until alkali treatment concentration of 7.5%.

The inhibition properties of bee wax propolis (BWP) extract on the 304SS in 0.5 M sulfuric acid were conducted using potentiodynamic polarization, EIS, and XRD. Quercetin (2-(3.4-dihydroxy phenyl)-3.5.7-trihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one) was identified as the main compound in the BWP extract based on FTIR and HPLC analysis. The results showed that the inhibitor could retard the corrosion rate of 304SS in 0.5 M sulfuric acid which reached 97.29% and 91.42% at 2000 ppm based on potentiodynamic polarization and EIS measurement, respectively. The inhibition efficiency decreased with increasing temperature. The inhibition mechanism of BWP extract on the 304SS was physisorption and obeyed Temkin adsorption isotherm equation. The thin protective layer on the 304SS surface was confirmed by XRD.

The purpose of this study was to determine the grade of roughness of coconut fiber surface as result of sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate treatment. Research stages are soaking for 3 hours, testing, and data processing. Coconut fiber is soaked in 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% sodium hydroxide solution. Then soaked in 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% potassium permanganate solution. After that, the coconut fiber is dried in the oven at 90 °C for 5 hours. Thereafter, measurement of surface roughness. The measurement of surface roughness was did in two methods namely SEM, and surface roughness gauge. Based on the results of the tests, it was concluded that the higher concentrations of sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate solutions gave higher grades of surface roughness compared with untreated fibers.