Extraction and Characterization of Agave gigantea Fibers with Alkali Treatment as Reinforcement for Composites

Abstract

ABSTRACT The new natural fiber was extracted from Agave gigantea leaf as a reinforcement in an environmentally friendly composite material. In this study, the leaves were chemically extracted using alkali treatment with NaOH concentrations of 0%, 2.5%, and 5% to obtain cellulose fibers. The alkali treated fibers were measured using the standard ASTM procedure and observations were carried out through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) characterization was conducted, and the crystallinity index and thermal stability of the fibers were tested. The results showed that there was an increase in cellulose content after the alkali treatment. Furthermore, the SEM observations indicated the presence of hemicellulose and ash within the natural raw fiber bundle, which later broke down into individual cellulose after alkalization. The FTIR characterization showed the removed aromatic group at wavenumber 1245 cm−1 after alkali treatment. In addition, the crystallinity of the 5% NaOH alkali-treated fiber was 28% higher than that of the raw fiber. Finally, the thermogravimetric analysis showed that the superior thermal stability of the fiber was 345–363°C. From the results, it is evident that these novel fibers are suitable as reinforcement materials to prepare composites for various applications.