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A Review on the Mercerization of Natural Fibers: Parameters and Effects

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Abstract

Natural fibers are environmentally friendly materials incorporated into polymer matrices as reinforcement agents. Several fibers are available in nature, such as cotton, jute, sisal, bamboo, hemp, banana, coir, and flax. However, in some cases, poor compatibility between fiber/polymer is observed, limiting their utilization. To overcome this disadvantage, chemical treatments can be applied to the fibers to alter their chemical composition, surface morphology, and mechanical properties. In comparison with other methods, mercerization is a popular methodology largely used to modify the properties of fibers once is inexpensive and does not require toxic chemicals. The main modifications caused by mercerization regarding chemical composition are the removal of wax, oils, and impurities of the surface of the fibers, besides a decrease in lignin and hemicellulose contents, and an increase in cellulose content. Fiber surface morphology becomes cleaner, and mechanical parameters, such as tensile strength and rigidity, are generally improved. Although these are some common modifications, mercerization process parameters must be well-adjusted to obtain optimized results. Unlike other published articles, this review covers the mercerization parameters adopted for several types of natural fibers to establish a correlation between the main effects of the process on the physical–chemical, morphological, and mechanical properties of the fibers.

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Fig. 1

Source: Adapted from Benniger [22]

Fig. 2

Source: Jaramillo-Quiceno et al. [82]

Fig. 3

Source: Mwaikambo & Ansell [96]

Fig. 4

Source: Thakur & Singha [102]

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support received from CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico), especially the Ph.D. scholarship (Process number 169328/2018-0), and other foment agencies of Brazil, CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and FAPERGS (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul), especially the “Internacionalização” Project (Process number 19/2551-0000708-6).

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  1. Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA), Foz Do Iguaçu, Brazil

    Claudia Leites Luchese

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Ramiro Barcelos Street, 2777, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-007, Brazil

    Juliana Both Engel & Isabel Cristina Tessaro

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Luchese, C.L., Engel, J.B. & Tessaro, I.C. A Review on the Mercerization of Natural Fibers: Parameters and Effects. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 41, 571–587 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-024-00112-6

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