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Novel Cellulosic Natural Fibers from Abelmoschus Ficulneus Weed: Extraction and Characterization for Potential Application in Polymer Composites

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Abstract

Owing to the mounting environmental consciousness, natural fibers in composite materials have become inevitable, especially for lightweight semi-structural applications which includes the door panels, side body structures, stressed shell structure and hood components in automotive and aerospace industry. This study represents the properties of raw and NaOH treated novel cellulosic Abelmoschus ficulneus weed plant fibers. The extracted fibers were characterized by physicochemical analysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and Differential scanning calorimetry, single fiber tensile test, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The physicochemical analysis found that the extracted fiber possessed higher cellulose content (80.86%). The extracted fiber was also chemically modified by NaOH treatment, which enhanced the tensile and thermal properties. The peak load at which the fiber failure occurred improved from 2.87 N for the untreated fiber to 3.57 N for the treated fiber while the modulus improved from128 MPa to 159 MPa for the untreated and treated fiber. Further, the inflection degradation increased from 349 °C to 352 °C. Hence, with better functional properties, the novel Abelmoschus ficulneus weed fibers can be a potential reinforcement material for the composites used in semi-structural applications.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the authorities of KARE, India KMUTNB, Thailand and Taif University, Saudi Arabia for their support in carrying out this research work. Taif University Researchers Supporting Project number (TURSP-2020/244), Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.

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Taif University Researchers Supporting Project number (TURSP-2020/244), Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Automobile Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Anand Nagar, Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu, 626126, India

    Karthikeyan Ramalingam & Senthil Muthu Kumar Thiagamani

  2. Natural Composites Research Group Lab, Department of Materials and Production Engineering, The Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS), King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, 1518 Wongsawang Road, Bangsue, Bangkok, 10800, Thailand

    Harikrishnan Pulikkalparambil, Suchart Siengchin & Sanjay Mavinkere Rangappa

  3. School of Aeronautical Sciences, Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science, Padur, Kelambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603103, India

    Chandrasekar Muthukumar

  4. Department of Mechanical Engineering, PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research, Coimbatore, India

    Senthilkumar Krishnasamy

  5. Institute of Plant and Wood Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Tharandt, Germany

    Suchart Siengchin

  6. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, 21944, Taif, Saudi Arabia

    Abeer Mohamed Alosaimi

  7. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Mahmoud Ali Hussein

  8. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, 71516, Egypt

    Mahmoud Ali Hussein

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  1. Karthikeyan Ramalingam
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Ramalingam, K., Thiagamani, S.M. ., Pulikkalparambil, H. et al. Novel Cellulosic Natural Fibers from Abelmoschus Ficulneus Weed: Extraction and Characterization for Potential Application in Polymer Composites. J Polym Environ 31, 1323–1334 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-022-02687-9

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