Novel Biobased Textile Fiber from Colombian Agro-Industrial Waste Fiber

Abstract

Fique fibers, native to Colombia, are traditionally used for ropes and bags. In the extraction of long fibers for these purposes, the same amount of short fibers is generated; the short fibers are then discarded in the soil or in landfills. This agro-industrial waste is cellulose-rich and can be potentially developed into new biobased products. As an alternative use for these fibers, viscose regenerated fibers with potential applications in the textile industry were developed. Fique waste fibers were pulped (to produce fique cellulose pulp, FCP) using a 33 design of experiment (DOE) to adjust the variables of the whitening treatment, and DOE analysis showed that time and hydrogen peroxide concentration do not have a significant effect on non-cellulosic remotion, unlike temperature. The behavior of this pulp in the production of viscose was compared against that of commercially available wood cellulose pulp (WCP). FCP showed a suitable cellulose content with a high degree of polymerization, which makes it a viable pulp for producing discontinuous viscose rayon filaments. Both pulps showed the same performance in the production of the viscose dope and the same chemical, thermal, and mechanical behavior after being regenerated.

Fique as a Sustainable Material and Thermal Insulation for Buildings: Study of Its Decomposition and Thermal Conductivity

“…An expansion in the field of research towards the manufacture of composite materials (biopolymer/fiber, aerogel/fiber) is shown in the works of An et al [24] and Dou et al [25]. Fique is a crop of great importance for Colombia, which is the world's main producer, and the livelihoods of more than 70,000 Colombian families depend on its production [26]. In the country, the plant's fibers are widely available throughout the year [27], making it ideal for uses beyond the manufacture of ropes and garments in order to contribute to our knowledge of the properties of fique as a thermal insulator and provide a more holistic overview of the environmental impact during the whole specific life cycle phase [28,29], from raw material extraction to end of life stages; hence enabling justified decisions on the suitability of using fique fibers in thermal insulation [30].…”