Extraction and Characterization of Sponge Gourd Outer Skin Fiber

Abstract

ABSTRACT Plant-derived natural fibers have recently been used as a promising reinforcement in polymer matrix composites. Fibers from the inner sponge of the luffa cylindrica fruit have been the subject of several studies as reinforcement in various polymer resins. However, no research has been done on the Sponge Gourd Outer Skin Fiber (SGOSF). The present work is aimed to extract and characterize the chemical and physical properties of novel natural lignocellulosic fiber obtained from the outer skin (waste material) of the matured Luffa Cylindrica plant fruit. Characteristic studies on chemical composition, chemical structure, chemical compounds, thermal stability, and morphology of luffa cylindrica outer skin fibers (SGOSF) were investigated. The results revealed that SGOSF had cellulose (81.69 wt. %), lignin (10.14 wt. %), wax (0.22 wt.%), and ash content (1.18 wt. %). The density of the SGOSF was reported as 1.394 g/cm3. Thermal study results indicate SGOSF were withstanding the temperature up to 320°C. Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR) was done to determine the molecular structure of SGOSFs. The SGOSFs show tensile strength of 438.5 MPa. These results revealed that SGOSFs could be a sound reinforcement in the polymer matrix composites for various applications.