Agave Americana Fiber Research Articles

Eco‐Friendly Chemical Modification of Agave Americana Fibers for Biocomposite Properties Enhancement

AbstractChemical treatments are used to remove hydrophilic OH groups and surface particles from the fiber surface for increasing aspect ratio of fibers and subsequently, mechanical properties. In this paper, the effect of two eco‐friendly chemical treatments on morphology, chemical structure, and thermal stability of Agave Americana fibers (AAFs) is investigated. The first chemical treatment of AAF is based on citric acid (C6H8O7) to substitute OH groups contained in AAF by ester groups, while the second one involves sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) to remove the lignin and hemicellulose components with the aim to promote good fiber‐matrix adhesion. Attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) data shows that both treatments are efficient to remove hemicelluloses and a part of lignin contained in AAF resulting in a rough and clean fiber surface. Thermal stability of AAF has clearly increased by NaHCO3 treatment compared to untreated one, unlike C6H8O7, which reduces this property. The study highlights the possibility of substituting conventional polluting chemical treatments with environmentally friendly ones to modify the surface of plant fibers for polymer composites reinforcement.

Influence of Green Chemical Treatments on Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Poly(3‐Hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐Hydroxyhexanoate)–Agave Americana Fibers Biocomposites

AbstractThis work aims at investigating the effect of two eco‐friendly chemical treatments of Agave Americana fibers (AAFs) on morphology and mechanical properties of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) biocomposites prepared by melt compounding. Acid citric and sodium bicarbonate treatments are used separately to modify the fiber surface before their incorporation into PHBHHx matrix at 30 wt%. The study reveals through SEM observations that the fracture surface of untreated PHBHHx biocomposite shows a poor fiber‐matrix adhesion with the presence of many microvoids at interface and also some fibers pullout. However, less surface defects with a finer morphology are observed on the treated biocomposite samples resulting in improved tensile and flexural properties compared with neat polymer, being however, more pronounced for those modified with sodium bicarbonate. The study highlights the beneficial effect of the green treatments investigated to enhance the mechanical properties of PHBHHx biocomposites.

Development of seat mats for drivers using Aloe vera

The automotive industry is continuously evolving to enhance driver comfort and safety. One crucial aspect of driver comfort is the seating experience, which plays a significant role in reducing fatigue and enhancing overall well-being during extended journeys. This abstract introduces a novel approach to seat mats for drivers, incorporating Agave Americana, commonly known as the American Century Plant, as a sustainable and effective material. The proposed seat mats for drivers are designed to offer a blend of durability, breathability, and comfort. Agave Americana fiber is known for its exceptional strength, making it an ideal candidate for a material that can withstand the rigors of daily use in a vehicle. Furthermore, its natural breathability helps regulate temperature and moisture, ensuring a more comfortable seating experience during long drives. Ultimately, the adoption of Agave Americana-based seat mats has the potential to improve driver well-being, reduce the environmental footprint of automotive manufacturing, and contribute to the broader shift toward sustainable materials in the industry.

Enhancing Concrete Properties with Agave Americana Fiber Reinforcement.

This research article explores the potential of using agave Americana fibers (AAFs) to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of concretes. The study investigates the impact of AAFs on concrete mix proportions in detail. Different concrete compositions are systematically created by integrating AAFs into them. The chemical structure, crystallinity, morphology, and tensile strength of extracted AAFs are examined, revealing a low cellulose content and a crystallinity index of around 41.34%. The microstructural analysis highlights the rough surface morphology of the extracted AAFs. The research also evaluates how AAFs affect concrete density, water uptake, and flexural and compressive strengths across various mixtures. The results show that incorporating AAFs in a horizontal position can increase the flexural resistance by up to 99% and the compressive resistance by up to 86% without chemical reactions occurring with mud-lime concrete. However, it is worth noting that using AAFs with cement can affect fiber durability due to the alkaline environment. As the alkali concentration increases, the fiber mechanical resistance decreases. Therefore, it is recommended to use AAFs with noncement concrete for improved sustainability and durability. Overall, this study advances our understanding of eco-friendly and resilient concrete materials.

Removal of trivalent and hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution using fiber of Agave americana plant and its modified forms

Chromium contamination due to industrial effluents has been recognized as one of the major problems since chromium compounds affect human health leading to adverse health effects of humans. Among many adsorbents that have been experimented with, cellulose fibers have been identified to be very effective for chromium removal. Agave americana, a plant native to Central America, is rich in cellulose fibers, which consist of esters, ethers of alcohol derivatives of cellulose showing coordinating ability toward heavy metal ions. This study is aimed at optimization of solution parameters, such as shaking time, settling time, solution pH and adsorbent dosage, while varying one parameter at a time throughout a broad range keeping others constant, for most efficient adsorption of Cr(III) species, followed by investigation of equilibrium and kinetics aspects under optimized conditions. Adsorption of Cr(III) from solutions of different concentrations on untreated AAF fulfills the requirements of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm at equilibrium which is probably due to the fine fibrous nature of the biosorbent. Moreover, the extent of Cr(III) on Agave americana fiber (AAF), investigated during the early stages of adsorption, leads to the validity of the pseudo first-order kinetics with a relatively high regression coefficient. Although untreated AAF shows a strong affinity toward Cr(III), its adsorption ability toward Cr(VI) is undetectable, suggesting that surface modification of AAF be performed. In this context, EDTA-treated AAF demonstrates a significant improvement on Cr(VI) removal, indicating the possibility of extending the present investigation for removal of chromium species under industrial setting.

Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Wastewater Using Polydopamine Agave Americana Fibres-co-Poly(AAc)/Ag Nanocomposites

In this research, efforts have been made to tailor the surface of Agave americana fibre by utilising a sequence of chemical techniques and their subsequent utilisation as adsorbents to remove methylene blue dye from wastewater. The surface modification of Agave americana cellulosic fibre was carried out by utilising a polydopamine (PDA) coating agent, which was subsequently graft copolymerized with vinyl monomer acrylic acid (AAc), and finally doped with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to synthesise nanocomposites. Different characterisation techniques, such as SEM, FTIR and XRD were used to characterise the samples and UV-visible spectroscopy was utilised to assess their potential for the removal of dye from wastewater. The grafting of polydopamine, polyacrylic acid, and silver nanoparticles onto the cellulosic fibre resulted in morphological changes and the formation of new bonds, as confirmed by SEM images and FTIR spectra of the grafted samples, respectively. Further, during the dye adsorption/degradation study, among different surface-modified fibres, silver nanoparticles-doped Agave americana fibres graft copolymerized samples showed a maximum of 94.40% dye adsorption/degradation tendency and 85.20 mg/g adsorption capacity. Further, the adsorption was found to be close to Langmuir adsorption.

Enhancement of sustainable fused deposition modeling 3D‐printing with agave Americana fiber‐reinforced poly(lactic) acid biofilaments

AbstractAdditive manufacturing (AM) of eco‐friendly biocomposites has been growing recently to obtain green fillers capable of reducing bioplastic costs without compromising the material processability and performance. This paper aims to study the effect of using different Agave America fiber volume ratios on the morphological, chemical, and thermal properties, contact angle, and hardness of poly(lactic) acid (PLA) filament for 3D printing. Sustainable biofilaments of PLA filled with 10 and 5 wt% of Agave Americana fiber were prepared in a thermokinetic mixer and extruded in a machine, and then used to print testing samples using fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer. Biofilaments were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The addition of fiber did not significantly influence the biofilament's diameter and density compared to pure PLA. On the other hand, it influenced printed biofilaments' thermal stability and morphological characteristics. The biocomposites developed have shown enhancement in their shore hardness. Thus, the use of Agave Americana fiber reinforced in a PLA matrix did not compromise its thermal properties, nor its processability and printability, which could open the possibility of future research with a biocomposite with higher fiber content and an environmentally friendly alternative over traditional filler materials.

Characterization and Comparative Insights on Agave Americana and Agave Sisalana Leaf Fibers for High-Performance Applications

ABSTRACT This work is focused on characterization and comparative study of agave americana and agave sisalana leaf fibers which can be used as potential alternative for synthetic fibers in engineering applications. Physico-chemical and mechanical properties of agave fibers were determined using different analytical procedures and instruments. According to the experimental data, the mean length and diameter of agave americana fibers were maximum of 1.76 m and 411 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the particular fibers possess larger amount of hemicellulose (17.4%) and moisture (~8%) which confirmed they are relatively hydrophilic in nature. Conversely, agave sisalana fibers possess larger amount of cellulose (66.4%) and ligni10.1080/10942912.2023.2246677n (~16%) compared to agave americana fibers. Meanwhile, SEM microstructure also proved surface of agave americana fibers was comparably rough, full of cracks and linings. EDAX analysis showed presence of significant amount of C and O, including trace amount of Ca, K, Si and S. Similarly, the semicrystalline agave americana fibers are longer and thicker possessing greater mean linear density (29.68 Tex). Agave sisalana fibers recorded maximum breaking tensile strength and elongation at break (512 MPa) and (~6%), respectively. These findings strongly suggested that agave fibers possess interesting features which can be used as potential reinforcement fibers for composite engineering.

Optimization of Bending and Compressive Strength Behavior of Agave americana Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composite Using Response Surface Methodology

The purpose of this research is to optimize several variables, including fiber length, volumetric fiber percentage, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution concentration, which influence the bending and compression behavior of cementitious composites reinforced with plant-based fibers from Agave americana. Samples of composites based on fibers extracted from Agave americana and a cement matrix were manufactured and prepared according to a reference mortar. Box-Behnken Design (BBD) of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to build an experimental design to explore their mechanical behavior and to construct a set of mathematical models predictive of their behavior. The first stage of the work includes the extraction and processing of Agave americana fibers and the preparation of cement and Agave americana mortar specimens. The second phase aims to establish mathematical models to forecast the workability of the cement mortar and its strength at 28 days while emphasizing the correlations and interactions between the different components through the Design Expert software.

Alkali treatment effects on agave Americana fiber properties

In this study we focus on the mechanical properties of alkali treated and raw agave Americana fiber. Mechanical extraction and water retting were used to obtain this fibre from the agave Americana tree. In hilly locations, agave americana plants are most common. We get it from the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Agave Americana fibres were put through mechanical, thermal, SEM, and chemical tests to compare their mechanical properties. The data obtained indicate that treated agave Americana fibre has superior qualities than raw fibre. Thermal properties and mechanical properties improve after NaOH treatment as compare to untreated fibre. The alkali treatment is a fairly simple procedure that is advised for use on plant fibres similar to the fibre from the agave americana.

Effect of chemical and biological treatments on Agave americana yarn braid reinforced composite structures

The environmental issues existing all over the world have pushed the researchers to innovate products that would lead to the reduction of all sorts of pollution. This study focused on the utilization of underutilized Agave Americana fibres in yarn form after converting them into braids. An attempt has been made to modify the surface of the fibers using enzyme and alkali for improvising the uptake and adherence of resin which enhances the properties of composites. The spun Agave Americana fibres were procured and treated chemically and biologically for removing the fibre chemical constituents and natural oils that cover the outer layer of the fiber cell wall. The fibres from the yarn showed the improvement in morphological analysis after treatments which have increased the fiber-matrix adhesion leading to the improved mechanical properties of the composites. Both the treated yarns were braided for reinforcements to provide unique structural features and characteristics to the composites. The matrix used was epoxy resin because of its superior qualities and high performance. The roughness of the composite structure reinforced with the chemical treated yarn braid reinforced samples was the highest with 27.60 over the untreated and enzyme treated samples. The tensile strength of alkaline treated yarn braid reinforced composites increased with 48.56% over the untreated yarn braid reinforced composites whereas the enzyme treated yarn braid reinforced composites exhibited only 37.89% increase over the untreated sample. As for the flexural strength, the results were in contrast with the tensile strength results as the enzyme treated yarn braid reinforced composites showed more increase with 42.16% whereas it was only 34.33% in the alkali treated yarn braid reinforced composites. At higher temperatures the thermal stability was noted to be the highest in the alkali treated sample with 92.5%. These results have shown that these treatments and braided structure can be used as reinforcement for bringing good performance composite structures.

Optimization of Mortar/Agave americana Fibers Composite Behavior Based on Experimental Design

ABSTRACT Processing parameters and manufacturing techniques of composite materials have a considerable impact on the physicomechanical properties of a final product. The innovative contribution of the current work was to optimize the preparation process of composite materials to obtain the best physicomechanical properties. The mechanical characteristics and the water absorption uptake of mortar/unidirectional Agave americana fibers composite were optimized using an experimental design approach (statistical analysis). A central composite design was considered to determine the optimum preparation conditions of the mortar/A. americana composite to ensure the highest mechanical properties and lowest moisture effect. A second-order polynomial model was developed. The results show that both parameters and their interactions significantly affect the composite’s compressive strength, water absorption uptake, and stress strain. However, only the two studied parameters have a significant effect on flexural strength response. The optimal properties of the composite are 11.14 MPa, 2.03 mm, 3.88 MPa, 0.93 mm, and 14.6%, respectively, for compressive strength, stress strain, flexural strength, displacement, and water absorption. These properties are obtained at specific processing parameters, respectively, 17.6Ve% of agave fibers loading and 4.2% sodium hydroxide fibers treatment solution concentration. The adequate treatment process was proven when testing fibers morphology (Scanning electron microscopy) and their crystallinity index (X-ray diffraction).

Impact of Chemical Treatment on Surface Modification of Agave Americana Fibres for Composite Application – A Futuristic Approach

ABSTRACT As a futuristic approach an attempt has been made in this study to improve the compatibility between reinforcement and polymer matrix in composites by various chemical treatments. The adhesion of these can be achieved by modifying the surface using the chemical treatments. The general appearance of the Agave Americana fibers which underwent benzoylation was rated to be good in visual evaluation. The chemical treatments increased lignin content with 31.3% on benzoylation but decreased by both acetylation and alkylation treatments with 20.08% and 0.95% respectively. Moisture content was decreased in the fiber samples by benzylation and water absorption property decreased on acetylation and alkylation which would assist in fiber matrix compatibility. The breaking strength increased on benzoylation, and elongation increased on alkylation. Among the three chemical treatments the maximum degradation of fibers occurred at the highest temperature of 390°C with mass loss of 98.2% by benzoylation. Thermal stability improved in all the chemical treated fiber samples. Morphological analysis exhibited the removal of gummy substances and had improved roughness on the surface of fibers. The novelty is brought in the study by the fiber selection and analysis made using varied chemicals.

Effect of Agave Americana fibers content on morphology and mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) biocomposites

Green biocomposites based on poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) reinforced with Agave Americana fibers (AAF) were elaborated by melt compounding at various fiber content ratios, that is, 10, 20, and 30 wt.%. Morphology before and after tensile testing, rheological, viscoelastic, mechanical, and thermal properties of the biocomposite samples were investigated with respect to the AAF content. Tensile and DMA data showed a significant increase in both Young’s modulus and storage modulus of PHBHHx biocomposites with the AAF content, however, more relevant at 30 wt.%. However, a slight decrease in tensile strength and strain at break was observed, while thermal stability remained almost unchanged whatever the AAF content. The study highlighted the reinforcement effect of AAF in PHBHHx biocomposite materials, in particular at filler content of 30 wt. %.

Alkali-Treated Agave Americana Fiber for Reinforcement of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymers

ABSTRACT The mechanical properties of Agave americana fibers treated with NaOH solutions (1, 5, and 20 wt.%) for different times (0.5, 1 and 3 h) were investigated. At these conditions, tensile strength and ultimate strain of the fibers were determined. The treatment that required the minimum resources to improve the mechanical performance was 1% NaOH for 1 h. Fiber surface after the alkaline treatment was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); it showed partial remotion of impurities at the mildest condition (1% NaOH for 0.5 h) and an apparent surface decomposition when using the most harsh condition (20% NaOH for 3 h). Fly ash-based geopolymer composites with different treated fiber contents were prepared. The compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths of the composite geopolymers at seven days of age were determined. Results indicated that the addition of fibers slightly influenced the compressive strength; however, the ductility capacity was improved by up to 26% when 1% of treated fiber was incorporated. Regarding the tensile behavior, results indicate a direct relationship of strength with the amount of fibers, up to 36% improvement with 1% fiber content. Morphological of the fiber-reinforced geopolymer matrices was finally studied by SEM.

Investigation of tribological, physicomechanical, and morphological properties of resin-based friction materials reinforced with Agave americana waste

In recent years, natural fibers and their composites have attracted the attention of researchers due to environmental awareness and sustainable development. It is crucial to identify new natural fibers as potential reinforcement in polymer composites. This study was aimed to investigate the potential use of Agave americana fibers as a reinforcing component in resin-based friction materials. The tribological, physicomechanical, and morphological characteristics of materials containing different A. americana fiber contents were systematically evaluated. Experimental results indicated that fiber addition effectively improved the fade resistance, recovery behavior, and wear resistance of these materials. From the perspective of overall performance, a friction composite containing 5-wt% fibers possessed the optimal friction stability and wear resistance, exhibiting a fade rate of 13.6%, recovery rate of 97.5%, and sum wear rate of 2.340 × 10–7 cm3·N−1·m−1. Furthermore, sample worn surface morphologies were examined by scanning electron microscope, which revealed that appropriate fiber inclusion helped in the formation of secondary contact plateaus on friction surfaces. In addition, this fiber content significantly reduced abrasive and adhesive wear, which were conducive to good tribological behaviors of friction materials. This research provided a promising method for environment-friendly applications of A. americana waste.

Dye removal by activated carbon produced from Agave americana fibers: stochastic isotherm and fractal kinetic studies.

The present work investigates the use of Agave americana fibers (AGF) as a precursor for activated carbon (AC) preparation via chemical activation using phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and the study of the influence of the preparation conditions on the adsorption capacity of the prepared AC toward Alpacide Yellow (AY). The preparation experiments have been conducted at different impregnation ratios: acid/AGF (20 g/1 g, 30 g/1 g, and 40 g/1 g) with varied impregnation times (2 h, 4 h, and 6 h) and at different carbonization temperatures (200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C). The impregnation ratio of 40 g/1 g, the impregnation time of 6 h, and the carbonization temperature of 400 °C were selected as the optimal conditions for the preparation of AC with enhanced properties. Despite its low specific surface area (25 m2/g), the prepared AC showed a higher adsorption capacity toward AY (5.71 mg/g) as compared with that of the commercial activated carbon (CC) (5.27 mg/g) which showed a higher specific surface area (825 m2/g). This could be due to the existence of pores and functional groups on the surface of AC, as evidenced by the analysis results of FTIR, DSC, and SEM. The adsorption process was found fast and fractal since it followed the kinetic model of the Brouers-Sotolongo fractal (BSf) (R2 = 0.999), while the mathematical modeling of the adsorption isotherm of AY on the synthesized AC was stochastic since it followed the General Brouers-Sotolongo (GBS) (R2 = 0.999).

Mechanical and thermal insulation properties of surface-modified Agave Americana/carbon fibre hybrid reinforced epoxy composites

In this present scenario, most materials and manufacturing processes were affected by the environment. Due to this reason industries need eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes. The present experimental studies are thermal and automated conduct of hybrid natural fiber-strengthened aggregates. 7.5 wt% and 10 wt% alkali-treated Agave Americana fibres are used. A small amount of carbon fiber is added to the purpose of hybridization. The hybrid composites are fabricated by means of a Compression casting device. After that, by means of Universal testing machine (UTM), the experiment is performed to discover the flexural strength and Tensile strength respectively. The TGA, DTA, and thermal conductivity (thermal insulation) of the composites were analyzed. The results are compared between 7.5% and 10% alkali-treated Agave Americana fiber-reinforced composite. In order to save energy by reducing the rate of heat transfer for industrial applications, insulation materials, building and automotive industry, it is presumed that Agave Americana fiber treatments will aid the improvement of synthetic fibre reinforced sandwich polymer composites.

A new study on effect of various chemical treatments on Agave Americana fiber for composite reinforcement: Physico-chemical, thermal, mechanical and morphological properties

This research is focused to fundamentally understand the benefits of using Agave Americana C. plant as potential reinforcement in polymeric composites. The fibers were extracted from the external part of the bark of the plant, which grows worldwide in pastures, grasslands, open woodlands, coastal and riparian zones. In order to use the natural fiber as reinforcement it is paramount important to probe their chemical composition, microstructural behavior and mechanical properties. Hence, firstly the extracted fibers were chemically treated with NaOH, stearic acid, benzoyl peroxide and potassium permanganate. The chemical composition in terms of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and other waxy substances were determined using a standard TAPPI method. FT-IR technique was used to understand the character of molecular bonds, crystallinity and their correlations with various bonds in fiber structure. The thermal stability was investigated through thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric analysis, and the mechanical characterization was performed by applying standard tensile test. The surface morphology of fibers was examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and finally reliability scrutiny of all the analysis was carried out. The results of chemical modification techniques applied on the surfaces of natural fibers allows to produce superior fibers used to form the novel composite materials for light-weight application.

Fabrication and characterization of TiO2 particulate filled agave Americana fiber-reinforced polyester resin composites

Purpose In this study, TiO2 is used to enhance the mechanical properties of the composite material containing agave Americana fiber and polyester resin. Design/methodology/approach Agave Americana fiber was first treated with 5% of NaOH, and the composition of treated and untreated fiber was kept constant, whereas the particulate and resin were alternatively used. The handlay method is used to fabricate the composite plates. The morphology of the composites was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Findings The composite was composed of 30% treated agave Americana, 10% of TiO2 particulates and 60% of a polyester resin for better and enhanced mechanical properties. Practical implications The composite can be used for aero-structural components, automobile components and other areas where light-weight components are required. Originality/value A new type of agave Americana fiber with TiO2 and polyester resin composite was fabricated and investigated.