Extraction of plant based natural fibers – A mini review

Abstract

Natural fibers were given a lot of respect over synthetic ones in terms of sustainability. Application of natural fibers is superior to synthetics because they can be achieved cheaply and they have an environmental advantage. The usage time is usually shorter, often being fully or partially recyclable or biodegradable. There are wide varieties of natural fibers which can be reinforced to form composites and used for various applications. Combinatorial, or silicate, substances that can be made of a broad range of properties which is not derived a single resource. The reinforcement of fibers within the matrix becomes easy, only when the fibers are extracted from the plants, hence the extraction process is necessary in fiber reinforcement. There are various methods of fiber extraction, which include mechanical decortications, water retting process and manual extraction method. The extraction of fibers involves the retting process which is followed by the decortication process. From the above various methods, a suitable extraction method is selected based on the parts of the plant from which the fiber is to be extracted. Choice of extraction method governs the characteristics and properties of composites fabricated out of it. This review paper discusses the various methods of extraction and the feasibility of its application for various plants and fibers.