Surface Characteristics of Jute Fibers at Different Stages of Growth

Abstract

The surface features of jute fibers at various stages of growth were studied. In the early stage, incomplete formation of the middle lamella and collapsing of cell walls occur. Fibrillar orientation in the secondary layer of early stage fibers is helically oriented. The angle of the helix gradually decreases with growth, and after 35 days and onwards, fibrils are almost parallel to the fiber axis.The jute fiber strand is composed of numerous individual filaments that, in turn, consist of overlapping fiber cells joined by incrusting substances. These cells are polygonal in shape and have lumens varying considerably in size and shape. The cell walls of jute can be differentiated as the primary wall, the secondary wall, and the middle lamella, which joins the different cells together.The arrangement of fibrils in the primary and secondary walls of the cotton fibers has been studied in detail by various authors [7], but information about the fibrillar arrangements in different layers of multicellular bast fibers like jute is very limited so far. In a recent paper [2], we have shown that the fibrillar orientation in jute differs somewhat from that of cotton. In the primary layer, the arrangement of elementary fibrils in jute is crisscross, similar to cotton, and the secondary layers in both fibers have their fibrils parallel to the fiber axis. The differenoe between the fibrillar orientation of the two fibers is that, while in cotton a distinct layer, called the S, layer, where the fibrils are helically oriented, can be identified between the primary and secondary layers, no such layer occurs in jute, and only a few helically oriented fibrils are found in the upper portion of the secondary layer.To study how the fibrillar network develops in the fiber, we extended our study of jute fiber in different stages of its growth starting very early when the formation of the secondary layer is just about to start. This paper deals with the surface characteristics of jute fibers at the various stages of plant growth, starting from the 11 th day from the date of the appearance of seedlings and up to maturity, using the scanning electron microscope. Materials and MethodsThe dewaxed jute fibers were studied at different stages of growth: 11 days old, 21 days old, 35 days old, and mature jute fibers. The fibers were treated with 0.5 to 2% NaOH at 25°C for one-half hour and then washed with water to neutral and air dried. The dewaxed mature and early stage fibers were treated with 2 to 5 g/1 H2S04 at 25°C with P-40 as a wetting agent (0.3 g/1) for 30 minutes, followed by neutralization with 0.5 g/1 NaOH and then washed with water and air dried. The fibers from this last treatment were subjected to ultrasonic agitation for 15 to 30 minutes in an aqueous medium. All the fibers were dewaxed before treatment and examination in a 1:2 alcohol + benzene mixture. Results and Discussion.

Novel and Efficient Method to Reduce the Jute Fibre Prickle Problem

“…Figure 3.g shows that jute fibre after treatment had a clearer surface and polygon shape. A crisscross network of fibrils could be observed at the primary wall, just as in Mukherjee's observation [27]. As the DMSO effect deepened, the structure of the primary wall broke , and we could see more fibrils parallel to the fibre axis as well as the helical orientation of fibrils in the secondary layer (Figure 3.…”

Analysis of Structural Changes in Jute Fibers after Peracetic Acid Treatment

“…Some helically oriented fibrils ('Z' shape) are also observed in the secondary layer in jute, which appear to bind the straight fibrils as with a rope. As in previous research [29], there are too few in the upper portion of the secondary layer to be identified after during chemical treatment. Nodes could be observed when ultimate cells were exposed.…”

Review of recent research in nano cellulose preparation and application from jute fibers

“…with the gummy matter [14]. Jute fibers is composed of a number of ultimate cells with lignin and hemicellulose acting as cementing agents to give strength and flexibility to the fiber [15].…”