Tensile performance characterization of windmill palm leaf sheath fiber by polynomial fitting and XRD peak deconvolution

Abstract

This work using piecewise polynomial fitting and third derivative methods accurately determined the initial modulus, yield point, specific work before and after the yield point of palm and ramie fibers. After the completion of the algorithm, no subjective factors were added in the calculation process. Palm fiber showed remarkable yield characteristics. The yield point, specific work of palm fibers both before and after the yield point decreased with the gage length, whereas the initial modulus and the ratio of BY to AY increased. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) indicates that palm fiber can be considered as composite, whose de-bonding of single fibers and interlayer separation of cell wall contribute to the nonlinear de-formation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak deconvolution was confirmed as an effective method in disintegrating spectrogram. Results showed that the CI of ramie fibers (62.93%) was higher than that of palm fibers (34.13%), which considerably influenced the mechanical behavior of the fibers. The distinctive tensile properties of palm fiber may endow its potential application in industrial areas.