Kenaf Bast Fibers—Part I : Hermetical Alkali Digestion

Abstract EN

The objective of this study was to develop a hermetical alkali digestion process to obtain single cellulosic fibers from kenaf bast.

Kenaf bast were hermetically digested into single fiber using a 5% sodium hydroxide solution for one hour at four different temperatures (80°C, 110°C, 130°C, and 160°C).

The hermetical digestion process used in this study produced fibers with high cellulose content (84.2–92.3%) due to the removal of lignin and hemicelluloses.

The surface hardness and elastic modulus of the fibers digested at 130°C and 160°C were improved significantly compared with those digested at 80°C.

The tensile modulus and tensile strength of the individual fibers reduced as the digestion temperature increased from 110°C to 160°C.

Micropores were generated in fiber cell wall when the fibers were digested at 130°C and 160°C.

The studies on the composites that were made from polypropylene reinforced with the digested fibers indicated that the compatibility between the digested fibers and polypropylene matrix was poor.