Effect Of vacuum plasma on structure and function of fibers of Ichnocarpus frutescens

Abstract

The present investigation is based on high strength and high water resistant cellulosic biodegradable fiber of Ichnocarpus frutescens (IF). IF is known as the longest plant fiber. A survey of literature does not reveal any substantial information on spectroscopic data and chemical composition of IF fiber. In this report ,X-ray structural investigation, FT-IR study and biomass compositional analysis of both untreated IF fiber and plasma-exposed IF fiber are presented. The IF fiber was extracted from the stem of the plant by treating with 4% dil. NaOH solution followed by modifying it using vacuum nitrogen cold plasma exposure. The mechanism of molecular interaction between solid IF fiber and coldplasma are discussed in detail along with the description of the cold plasma exposure experimental setup. The structure of cellulose-Iß present in IF fiber was revealed from the XRD pattern and found to be monoclinic in nature with lattice parameter a = 7.784 Å, b = 8.201 Å, c = 10.380 Å, α = γ = 90°, β = 95.80°. The change in FWHM, crystallite size, fiber orientation and % crystallinity of the plasma-exposed IF fiber indicates molecular interactions of the solid fiber with plasma molecules. The FT-IR data reveal the presence of NH2 and NO3 groups in the plasma-exposed IF fiber. The investigation of biomass compositional analysis of IF fiber reports 35.87 ± 0.65% cellulose, 17.77 ± 0.47% hemicellulose, 2.47 ± 0.04% acid-soluble lignin(ASL) and 17.10 ± 0.66% acid-insoluble lignin(AIL).