Abstract
Recently, non-wood plants have increasingly gained attention, due to their versatile advantages like cost and fast-growing period. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of different treatments on Algerian Spart fibers (Lygeum spartum) using sodium hydroxide at various concentrations (8, 10, 15, and 22% NaOH), and sulfuric acid at 30% for 2h at 100 °C. Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were used to characterize the microstructural changes in the treated fibers. The results of FTIR confirmed the presence of cellulose in the raw fibers with a crystallinity index of 49.4%. The FTIR and XRD studies showed that an 8% NaOH treatment eliminated the amorphous constituents and improved the crystallinity index. Also, SEM micrographs confirmed the removal of impurities; for the acid treated fibers a pseudo-lignin was formed and deposited on fibers surfaces in the form of spherical droplets. Moreover, a decrease in the yield of cellulose at high alkali concentrations was noticed. The results suggest the possibility of exploitation of Spart fibers and their application in papermaking and as a reinforcement in composite materials.
Published Version
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