Abstract
ABSTRACT This study focused on reducing the burden of air pollution, wastage of banana pseudostems, and adding value to the plant’s products. Alkali pre-treatment and ultrasounds aided in degumming banana fiber to remove wax, lignin, hemicellulose, and other unwanted extractives. The chemical analysis method revealed 72.78% cellulosic content in ultra-sonicated fiber. Ultra-sonication attained an average diameter of 19.36 μm compared to 49.94 μm of alkali pre-treated fiber and 171.87 μm of untreated fiber as observed through the digital optical microscope. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed well-separated fibrils of ultra-sonicated fiber. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) showed de-convoluted peaks of C1s, O1s, and N1s that confirmed lignin removal. Transform Infra-Red (ATR-FTIR) Spectrometer revealed varnishing peak bands of C − O and C═O functional groups between 1600 cm−1 and 1733 cm−1 related to lignin and hemicelluloses. The X-ray Diffractometer (XRD) showed improved crystallinity up to 63.29%. The single fiber strength testing machine showed optimized breaking strength of 31.12cN/dtex and breakage elongation of 9.38%. The chemical, mechanical and morphological properties showed great promise for high-quality banana fibers.
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