Microstructural, Thermal, and Tensile Characterization of Banana Pseudo-stem Fibers Obtained with Mechanical, Chemical, and Enzyme Extraction

Abstract

Banana pseudo-stem fibers (BPSFs) have desirable tensile properties. In this study, BPSFs were extracted using mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. The aim was to evaluate the effect of these three extraction methods on the tensile, thermal, and morphological properties of BPSFs. Microstructural analysis showed the presence of structural and arch fibers in banana pseudo-stem (BPS). The average tensile strength and elongation for mechanically, chemically, and enzymeextracted BPSFs were 210, 333, and 235 MPa, and 0.8%, 1.6%, and 1.4%, respectively. Young's modulus was enhanced by 19.1% in the mechanically extracted BPSFs compared with that of chemically extracted BPSFs. The morphology of BPSFs was correlated with their tensile properties via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image analysis. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of fibers showed that chemically extracted BPSFs contained less hemicellulose and lignin with a crystallinity index of 61.2%. Chemically extracted BPSFs exhibited enhanced thermal properties over mechanically extracted BPSFs. Mechanically extracted BPSFs demonstrated similar thermal and tensile properties to chemically and enzyme-extracted BPSFs. Thus, mechanically extracted BPSFs could act as highly suitable reinforcing agents in bio-based composite material preparation. Given that mechanical methods need no chemicals and they are environmentally friendly, such techniques have potential applications.

Extraction and Characterization of Natural Fibres from Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) Stalk Wastes

“…Table 4 summarizes the characterisation spectra of untreated and treated plantain fibres as extracted from Figure 3. The broadband at 3344cm -1 for the raw fibre corresponds to hydrogen bonded -OH vibrational stretching of cellulose [27]. According to Monteiro et al [28] this stretching is associated with -OH present in cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose and carboxylic acid.…”

“…The absorption at 1425.86cm -1 corresponds to aromatic ring vibrations while the small peaks between 1372.03 and 1242.22cm -1 characterises the C-H bending bond structure of the functional group of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin while the peak at 1039.58cm -1 corresponds to a C-Osymmetric stretching vibration in cellulose, hemicellulose and minor contents of lignin [29,31,32]. The small absorption band at 878.10 cm -1 is attributed to the β-glucoside linkages between the sugar units in cellulose and hemicellulose [27].…”

Optimization of process conditions for microwave-assisted flax water retting by response surface methodology and evaluation of its fiber properties

“…The microstructure pictures of fibers in Fig. 5 show that the fiber had a rougher, fibrillated fiber surface topography after treatment by natural hot water retting, which was because lignin, pectin, and other components were not completely removed (Xu et al 2015). In contrast, the fiber exposed to microwave-assisted water retting had a smooth surface.…”

Potential Uses of Musaceae Wastes: Case of Application in the Development of Bio-Based Composites

“…From X-ray diffraction, the crystallographic pattern consisted of two peaks at 16 and 22.5° 2θ. Simultaneously, the crystallinity index of the native fibre presented a value of 56.6%, achieving an increase of 61.2% when performing the chemical modification due to the removal of amorphous structures represented in the hemicellulose [ 61 ].…”

“…Under this, research has been carried out on new developments involving matrices and reinforcements from natural, renewable sources and with a biodegradable character to obtain biocomposites or green composites of lower density [55,81]. One of the alternatives is using lignocellulosic fibres, which are environmentally friendly, to replace glass fibres and other reinforcing fibres used in composite engineering [61]. Next, we will report on the different matrices and reinforcements used, type of orientation in the reinforcement, processing techniques, mechanical, thermal, and physicochemical properties of significant relevance and applications of the biocomposites, including those that have required some of the by-products coming from the musaceaes plants.…”