Abstract
ABSTRACT The mechanical and chemical properties of fibers, extracted from four Mascarene endemic palm species, were determined in the untreated and mercerized states. Tensile strength of the fibers increased by 26% for the Hurricane fibers and to 92% for Bottle palm. Fibers from the Blue Latan gave the highest strength of 208 MPa. TCI index suggests that increase in strength is due to the transformation of cellulose I to II. FTIR and DSC tests confirm that hemicellulose was not completely removed during mercerization; its complete removal will yield stronger fiber, making the Blue Latan fiber a potential candidate for composites manufacture.
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