Extraction and Characterization of Natural Cellulose Fibers from the Buxus sempervirens for Composite Reinforcement

Abstract

ABSTRACT The ecological conservation in the current global scenario has led scholars to use natural fibers as a reinforcement in composites that resulted in the exploration of new natural cellulose fibers. This research investigates the extraction and characterization of natural cellulose fibers from the stems of Buxus sempervirens (BS) plants, which are used to produce various products. Manual retting of stems resulted in Buxus sempervirens fibers production, which was then evaluated for their physical, chemical, thermal, crystallographic, and morphological characteristics. The results elucidated that BS fibers had a cellulose percentage of 51.78%, 18.42% hemicellulose, and 17.36% lignin. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy results validated the chemical constituents. Crystallographic investigations utilizing X-Ray diffraction revealed a crystalline index of 18.05%. The thermogravimetric analysis of BS fibers showed char residue of 33% and a maximum degradation temperature of 263°C. The BS fibers revealed good surface interlocks that can be inferred from Scanning Electron Microscope. Thus, from the results compared with other natural fibers, we demonstrate that Buxus sempervirens fibers can be effectively used as reinforcement in polymeric composites.