Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber
Evidence-based research had shown that elevated alkali treatment of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) compromised the mechanical properties of the fiber. In this work, PALF was subjected to differential alkali concentrations: 1, 3, 6, and 9% wt/wt to study the influence on the mechanical and crystal prope...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Fibers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/9/8/51 |
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| author | Eric Worlawoe Gaba Bernard O. Asimeng Elsie Effah Kaufmann Solomon Kingsley Katu E. Johan Foster Elvis K. Tiburu |
| author_facet | Eric Worlawoe Gaba Bernard O. Asimeng Elsie Effah Kaufmann Solomon Kingsley Katu E. Johan Foster Elvis K. Tiburu |
| author_sort | Eric Worlawoe Gaba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Evidence-based research had shown that elevated alkali treatment of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) compromised the mechanical properties of the fiber. In this work, PALF was subjected to differential alkali concentrations: 1, 3, 6, and 9% wt/wt to study the influence on the mechanical and crystal properties of the fiber. The crystalline and mechanical properties of untreated and alkali-treated PALF samples were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and tensile testing analysis. The XRD results indicated that crystal properties of the fibers were modified with 6% wt/wt alkali-treated PALF recording the highest crystallinity and crystallite size of 76% and 24 nm, respectively. The FTIR spectra suggested that all alkali-treated PALF samples underwent lignin and hemicellulose removal to varying degrees. An increase in the crystalline properties improved the mechanical properties of the PALF treated with alkali at 6% wt/wt, which has the highest tensile strength (1620 MPa). Although the elevated alkali treatment resulted in decreased mechanical properties of PALF, crystallinity generally increased. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of PALF not only improve with increasing crystallinity and crystallite size, but are also dependent on the intermediate bond between adjacent cellulose chains. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:50:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-edde57a2197b41edb80fa9fba4e0aeb2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:50:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fibers |
| spelling | doaj.art-edde57a2197b41edb80fa9fba4e0aeb22023-11-22T07:36:36ZengMDPI AGFibers2079-64392021-08-01985110.3390/fib9080051Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf FiberEric Worlawoe Gaba0Bernard O. Asimeng1Elsie Effah Kaufmann2Solomon Kingsley Katu3E. Johan Foster4Elvis K. Tiburu5Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 74, GhanaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 74, GhanaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 74, GhanaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 74, GhanaDepartment of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CanadaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 74, GhanaEvidence-based research had shown that elevated alkali treatment of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) compromised the mechanical properties of the fiber. In this work, PALF was subjected to differential alkali concentrations: 1, 3, 6, and 9% wt/wt to study the influence on the mechanical and crystal properties of the fiber. The crystalline and mechanical properties of untreated and alkali-treated PALF samples were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and tensile testing analysis. The XRD results indicated that crystal properties of the fibers were modified with 6% wt/wt alkali-treated PALF recording the highest crystallinity and crystallite size of 76% and 24 nm, respectively. The FTIR spectra suggested that all alkali-treated PALF samples underwent lignin and hemicellulose removal to varying degrees. An increase in the crystalline properties improved the mechanical properties of the PALF treated with alkali at 6% wt/wt, which has the highest tensile strength (1620 MPa). Although the elevated alkali treatment resulted in decreased mechanical properties of PALF, crystallinity generally increased. The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of PALF not only improve with increasing crystallinity and crystallite size, but are also dependent on the intermediate bond between adjacent cellulose chains.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/9/8/51PINEAPPLE leaf fiber (PALF)crystallinitycrystal sizemechanical properties |
| spellingShingle | Eric Worlawoe Gaba Bernard O. Asimeng Elsie Effah Kaufmann Solomon Kingsley Katu E. Johan Foster Elvis K. Tiburu Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber Fibers PINEAPPLE leaf fiber (PALF) crystallinity crystal size mechanical properties |
| title | Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber |
| title_full | Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber |
| title_fullStr | Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber |
| title_short | Mechanical and Structural Characterization of Pineapple Leaf Fiber |
| title_sort | mechanical and structural characterization of pineapple leaf fiber |
| topic | PINEAPPLE leaf fiber (PALF) crystallinity crystal size mechanical properties |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6439/9/8/51 |
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