Microstructural Characterization of Natural Fibers : Etlingera elatior, Costus comosus, and Heliconia bihai

Abstract EN

This work describes the structural and morphological characteristics of fibers obtained from the stem of three ornamental plants, namely, Etlingera elatior, Costus comosus, and Heliconia bihai.

The stems of these plants are long and nowadays do not have any use, being disregarded.

The results obtained showed that the three fibers have a crystalline index of around 58% and are thermally stable to approximately 230°C, 240°C, and 255°C for E.

elatior, C.

comosus, and H.

bihai, respectively.

The fibers present an average humidity amount of less than 9% and the thermal degradation peak for the cellulose component varies from 358°C for E.

elatior to 379°C for C.

comosus.

The morphological analysis showed that the fibers present a large variability of the shape of their cross-sections, which are preferentially elongated.

These morphological characteristics were used to estimate the error made when one considers the fibers having a circular cross-section.