Fiber Length Variation Research Articles

Mechanical properties and sulfate resistance of basalt fiber-reinforced alkali-activated fly ash-slag-based coal gangue pervious concrete

To address the strength deficiencies and enhance the durability of coal gangue pervious concrete while promoting the resource utilization of coal gangue, this study employs alkali-activated fly ash and slag as binding materials, partially replacing natural coarse aggregates with coal gangue to prepare alkali-activated fly ash-slag-based coal gangue pervious concrete (AFSGPC). Basalt fibers are introduced to examine the effects of varying fiber lengths and volume fractions on the mechanical properties, permeability, and sulfate resistance of AFSGPC. Results indicate that incorporating an appropriate amount of basalt fibers improves the mechanical properties and sulfate resistance of AFSGPC, attributed to the high strength characteristics of the alkali-activated fly ash-slag binder and the crack-bridging and toughening effects of the basalt fibers, although it may slightly reduce permeability. When the fiber length is 12mm and the volume fraction is 0.1%, the compressive strength at 28 days reaches 24.12MPa, and the splitting tensile strength is 2.95MPa, reflecting increases of 10.48% and 32.89%, respectively. The permeability coefficient is measured at 2.07mm/s, meeting the standards for pervious concrete in road applications. After undergoing 60 cycles of sulfate wet-dry erosion, the corrosion resistance coefficient of AFSGPC increases by 20.02%. To meet the stringent strength requirements for pervious pavements, it is recommended that basalt fibers with a length of 12mm and a volume fraction of 0.1% be utilized in AFSGPC. In regions characterized by high precipitation, the application of basalt fibers shorter than 12mm, with a volume fraction not exceeding 0.15%, is advisable to minimize the obstruction of interconnected pores. These findings provide valuable insights for the preparation and engineering application of basalt fiber-modified AFSGPC.

Genome-wide association studies of bundle and single fiber length traits reveal the genetic basis of within-sample variation in upland cotton fiber length

Within-sample variation in cotton fiber len,gth is a major factor influencing the production and quality of yarns. The textile industry has been searching for approaches of improving the long fiber fraction and minimizing the short fiber fraction within a cotton sample to produce superior fiber and yarn quality. USTER® High Volume Instrument (HVI) has been widely used for a rapid assessment of cotton fiber length traits from a fiber bundle. However, its effectiveness for genetic studies has been questioned due to the indirect estimations of the cotton fiber traits that cannot be measured from a fiber bundle. To overcome the limits of the HVI fiber length traits, we utilized the Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) measuring fiber length traits directly from individual fibers based on weight or number. Comparative fiber length analyses showed AFIS provided higher sensitivity in detecting the fiber length variations within and among cotton samples than HVI. The weight-based AFIS length traits were strongly correlated with the corresponding HVI lengths, whereas the number-based AFIS mean length showed a relatively weaker correlation with the HVI lengths. Integrations of the weight based-length traits with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) enabled classifying the QTLs specifically associated with long, mean, or short fiber length traits and identified a false positive associated with the indirectly estimated HVI short fiber trait. Unlike the weight based-AFIS length traits, the number-based AFIS length trait did not show a negative correlation with a weight related-HVI property, and identified a single QTL that was not detected by the corresponding HVI trait. These results suggested that integrating the AFIS method with GWAS helped discoveries of the genome loci involved in the within-sample variation in cotton fiber length and characterizations of the fiber length QTLs.

Exploring the effects of fiber content and length on mechanical, free vibration, electrical, and water absorption properties of Phoenix sp. fiber‐reinforced polyester composites

AbstractThis work addresses the experimental investigation of the mechanical, free vibration, electrical resistivity, and moisture uptake characteristics of Phoenix sp. fiber‐reinforced polyester composites (PFRPC) fabricated using the compression molding method. The polyester matrix (PM) was added with Phoenix sp. fibers (PSFs) of different content (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt%) and length (10, 20, and 30 mm) and studied their effect on the aforesaid properties. The results reveal that the composites having 20 wt% of 20 mm length PSFs exhibited optimum mechanical properties. At this loading, the ultimate tensile strength and modulus were 48.36 MPa and 2.86 GPa, respectively, while the flexural strength and modulus were 83.89 MPa and 2.91 GPa, respectively. Furthermore, this composite exhibits an impact strength of 22.04 kJ/m2 and an interlaminar shear strength of 41.88 MPa. The increase in PSF content and length resulted in greater stiffness and decreased mass of the composites, leading to an enhanced natural frequency. The inclusion of PSFs showed a decline in electrical resistivities due to their moisture‐absorbing capability. In contrast, the hydrophilic behavior of PSFs led to a rise in the water absorption rate of the composites due to the increase in fiber variables. Scanning electron microscopy examination shows that short fiber‐reinforced composites have more fiber pull‐outs due to the limited area of contact, whereas long fiber‐added composites possess better bonding with the PM.Highlights Various properties of Phoenix sp. fiber/polyester composites were investigated Increase in fiber content enhanced the mechanical performance of composites Variation in fiber length has only minimal effect on composite properties Phoenix sp. fiber/polyester composites exhibit better insulating property

Experimental research on shear strength characteristics of cement-stabilized dredged silty clay reinforced with alginate fiber

In order to avoid uneven dispersion or agglomeration of traditional fibers after mechanical mixing, alginate fibers as natural fibers were selected in this study to reinforce the cement-stabilized dredged silty clay, forming alginate fiber-reinforced cement-stabilized dredged silty clay. The shear strength of cement-stabilized dredged silty clay reinforced with alginate fibers with the same cement content (9 % by wet weight) and cured for 7 and 28 days was investigated. Consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial compression tests were carried out on reinforced soil samples with varying fiber lengths (3 mm, 6 mm, and 9 mm) and fiber contents (0 %, 0.3 %, 0.6 %, and 0.9 % by weight of wet soil) to assess the shear strength characteristics. The results showed that, on average, the shear strength increased by 18.30 % and 18.56 % with the increasing content and length of alginate fibers, respectively. The variation in deviator stress and axial strain exhibited a shift from strain-softening to strain-hardening with increased confining pressure, alginate fiber content, and length. Hence, a double exponential curve model with different fiber content and length in three confined pressures was proposed, and the correlation coefficient of the fitting results was above 0.90. The secant modulus E50 increased and subsequently decreased with the length of fibers, with the largest secant modulus E50 observed for 6 mm fiber length. The strength parameters (cohesion c and internal friction angle φ) exhibited contrasting responses to variations in alginate fiber length and content. The cohesion of the fiber-reinforced soil specimens increased by 29.0 % and 13.1 %, respectively, for increased fiber content and length. Nevertheless, the angle of internal friction remained relatively unchanged. The findings of this study can serve as a reference guide for related engineering projects.

Enhancing the resistance of cementitious composites to environmental thermal fatigue using high-volume fly ash and steel slag

Daily fluctuations in environmental temperature induce thermal fatigue and cause degradation in concrete structures. This study introduces a novel approach of utilizing high-volume fly ash, steel slag fine aggregates, and basalt-polypropylene fibres to prevent degradation against environmental thermal fatigue (ETF). Five mixes were considered with variations in fine aggregate type, fibre length and volume. The compressive and flexural strengths were analysed after exposure to 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 ETF cycles between 20 and 60 °C (at constant relative humidity). The residual compressive strength of mix with 100 % river sand and 100 % steel slag as fine aggregates was ∼106 % and ∼112 % respectively after 300 ETF cycles. The developed cementitious composites performed significantly better than the mixes utilized in the existing literature. The mix with 100 % steel slag aggregate even demonstrated a continual rise in compressive strength as opposed to mixes with river sand whose strength declined after 180 or 240 ETF cycles. Flexural strength also improved up to 180 ETF cycles and then started to decline in all mixes. A thorough microstructural analysis was also conducted using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and mercury intrusion porosimetry to gain further insights into the underlying mechanism of the newly introduced matrix composition against ETF.

High-strength carbon fiber-reinforced polyether-ether-ketone composites with longer fiber retention length manufactured via screw extrusion-based 3D printing

The mechanical properties of 3D-printed carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites play a pivotal role in engineering applications. However, the preparation of high-performance composites through material extrusion remains a great challenge. In this study, four fiber-reinforced polyether-ether-ketone (CF/PEEK) composites with varying fiber lengths were manufactured by a homemade screw extrusion 3D printer and evaluated for their application potential. A systematic exploration was conducted on the influence of fiber length and annealing on the mechanical performance of samples. The results demonstrated that increasing fiber length and annealing enhanced the tensile and flexural strengths of components while diminishing impact strength and ductility. With an average fiber retention length of 209 μm, the annealed parts displayed exceptional tensile and flexural strengths of 169.8 MPa and 223.3 MPa, respectively, marking a 143% and 88% improvement over unannealed pure PEEK. Longer fiber retention length, higher crystallinity, and fewer internal flaws contribute to the improved mechanical performance of the samples. This study provides a broader scope for the preparation and application of 3D-printed high-performance composites.

Study on the mechanical properties of ramie fiber/polypropylene composites prepared by hot pressing after the carding machine mixing

AbstractA growing variety of composites utilize natural plant fibers with naturally occurring veins structured hierarchically in an effort to reduce dependence on petroleum‐based materials. In this article, ramie fibers were extracted by alkaline delignification. Then, ramie fibers and PP matrix, were prepared in filament form and an amino‐silane coupling agent KH550, and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene were added to improve interfacial compatibility. Ramie fiber/polypropylene fiber‐reinforced polymer composites (FRC) were prepared by hot pressing after using a carding machine. This method preserves the structure and length of ramie fibers to a large extent, thus greatly improving the mechanical properties of the material. After optimization, the FRC prepared from plant fibers of 2 cm length and 60% content had a density of 0.95 g/cm3, showed an increase in tensile and flexural strength of 276% and 339%, respectively, compared to the pure PP matrix. The specific strength of the FRC in the work was higher than galore FRC prepared from talc, carbon fiber, other plant fibers, and so forth. The FRC has a wide range of potential applications due to its own low‐cost, lightweight, and high‐performance, and is highly feasible in replacing the current polymers in the preparation of numerous everyday items.Highlights The preparation method of FRC resulted in a more complete fiber length and structure. The mechanism to improve the interfacial compatibility of RF and PP is discussed. The effect of varying fiber length on the FRC mechanical properties was investigated.

Exploring the potential of Tamarindus indica stem short macro fibers reinforced guar gum resin green composites

In this study, Tamarindus indica stem fibers and guar gum resin matrix have been used for the production of green composites with varying fiber lengths of 4, 8, and 12 mm and fiber loading of 5%, 10%, and 15 wt%, by hand lay-up process. The green composites were subjected to Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, thermal, mechanical, fractography, and water absorption tests as per American Standard Testing of Materials standards. The composites displayed a significant absorption peak at 3303 cm−1, signifying the existence of a hydroxyl group, as indicated by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. The thermogravimetric analysis results showed that the composites were thermally stable up to 225 °C and displayed an endothermic peak at 103 °C. Untreated 4 mm fiber length and 15% fiber loading in the matrix material resulted in superior tensile and flexural characteristics, with values of 23.87 and 33.21 MPa, respectively, compared to other green composites. The composite with a 12 mm fiber length and 5% fiber load exhibited the highest impact resistance, with a load of 75 kJ/mm2, and demonstrated better resistance to water absorption. Furthermore, an eco-friendly flowerpot was developed using the mechanically optimized US0415 green composite material under real-world conditions.

The influence of different fiber sizes on the flexural strength of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites

This experiment aimed to investigate the impact of varying fiber lengths on the flexural strength of coconut fiber composites with epoxy resin. Coconut fiber composite panels were produced using rectangular molds. The effects of various fiber sizes, especially 2, 4, and 6 mm, respectively, were compared with fiberless and continuous fiber polymer composites on the flexural strength of Natural Fiber-reinforced Polymer Composites (NFPC). The lowest flexural strength is 10.04 MPa, was obtained for the NFPC sample with a fiber length of 2 mm, while the highest flexural strength value was 10.70 MPa with a fiber length of 6 mm. Generally, flexural strength is influenced by variations in fiber size but not significantly. The flexural modulus and flexural strength values exhibit the same trend. Fiber pullouts are visible on the fracture surface of the sample, and voids in the form of trapped gas are also apparent on the sample surface. Short fiber size is one of the causes of fiber pullout, which can reduce the flexural strength of short fiber polymers.

Growth stress and wood properties of 10-year-old fast-growing teak grown in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta

Abstract The establishment of fast-growing teak plantations in Indonesia provides opportunities for shorter harvesting periods. However, it also poses challenges on wood utilization due to juvenility and growth stress-related defects. This study investigated growth stress levels and some wood properties of 10-year-old fast-growing teak grown in Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta. The strain gauge method was used to measure longitudinal surface released-strains (LRS), tangential surface released-strains (TRS), and longitudinal internal residual strains (IRS). Wood specimens were also collected near each strain measurement point for the analysis of wood properties. The results showed LRS values ranging from −1243 to 320 με, TRS values ranging from −779 to 382 με, and IRS values ranging from −589 to 786 με. Meanwhile, radial variations in fiber length, modulus of elasticity, and lignin content were observed. Significant correlations were found between IRS values and microfibril angle, fiber length, modulus of elasticity, lignin content, and hemicellulose content, while no significant correlations were observed between LRS and TRS values and wood properties. These findings suggest a moderate level of growth stress. Additionally, the results also indicate that this 10-year-old fast-growing teak is still in the juvenile stage. Therefore, its utilization should be performed with caution.

Effects of rattan fiber length variation on mechanical properties, characterization, and microstructure of concrete

The study aimed to test how variations in fiber length affect the behavior of microstructures in concrete, as well as to characterize and analyze their mechanical properties. This research covers several specific objectives, including understanding the influence of different fiber lengths on micro and macrostructural aspects of concrete, assessing the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete with fibers of various lengths, and examining the relationship between fiber length and the mechanical performance of concrete. The results showed that the addition of rattan fibers in concrete can increase or even reduce tensile strength depending on the length of the fibers and their material characteristics. The addition of rattan fibers with a length of 30 mm results in a significant increase in tensile strength, while longer or shorter fiber lengths do not yield equally favorable results. Analysis of the chemical composition of concrete shows that the elements oxygen (O), calcium (Ca), and silicon (Si) predominate, with the addition of carbon (C), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), and Sulphur (S) elements in concrete with rattan fibers. Morphological observations using SEM on concrete, both with fibers and without fibers, provide an in-depth understanding of the structure of concrete surfaces microscopically

Effect of fiber entanglement in chopped glass fiber reinforced composite manufactured via long fiber spray-up molding

Long Fiber Spray-up Molding (LFSM) deviates from the conventional approach in liquid composite molding (LCM) processes by utilizing extremely long chopped strands of fibers as the primary reinforcement material in its fabrication process. In LFSM, chopped fibers are impregnated with resin that is sprayed vertically downwards before reaching the mold surface. The spraying mechanism is mounted on an actuator, which is capable of spraying freely in any specified pattern or direction. Under LFSM, it is extremely difficult to fabricate a composite part with uniformly distributed fiber content throughout its volume. The consequences of the non-uniform fiber volume distribution arise from the fiber entanglement as the length of the fiber reaches up to 100 mm in LFSM. In this study, the effect of fiber entanglement during LFSM was analyzed through various approaches. This included measuring the coefficient of friction between fibers in contact and examining the correlation between fiber lengths and the number of intersections. Furthermore, the viscoelastic properties of the uncured composite part were assessed by experimenting with the influence of viscosity on fiber length during compression molding. The results were then computed, modeled, and visualized in MATLAB, considering variations in viscosity and fiber length, both before and after compression molding.

The Effect of Aspect Ratio and Volume Fraction on Mechanical Properties of End of Life Tyre Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete

The utilization of end-of-life tire steel fibers (ELTSFs) to produce greener concrete by reducing the amount of solid waste was investigated in this research. Steel fibers are incorporated into concrete to improve its mechanical and durability properties. This paper reports the effect of fiber length and volume fraction (Vf) of ELTSFs in concrete. The fresh and mechanical properties examined were workability and compressive strength of six mixes of grade 25 (25 N/mm²) with varying fiber lengths of 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, and 60 mm; representing aspect ratios of 10.87, 21.74, 32.61, 43.48, 54.35, and 65.22 respectively. For each fiber length, concrete with five volume fractions (0.5%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) were produced and cured for 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 60 days by water immersion. For all resulting concrete, slump value and compressive strength were investigated. The results show that workability decreases with an increase in the fiber length and volume fraction. Concrete with a 10 mm length and a volume fraction of 0.5% produced concrete with the highest slump. The concrete mix with a 60 mm fiber length and a 1.0% volume fraction at 60 days of curing regime gives the optimum compressive strength, enhancing it by 9.85% compared to the reference concrete. The regression model developed for the compressive strength showed a very good relationship between the response and the regressor variables. The coefficient of determination (R²) is 0.8894, and all the model terms' P-values are less than the alpha value (0.05).

Enhancing PANox fiber properties through controlled oxidation and tensioning: A study on shrinkage inhibition and structural analysis

PANOX fiber is a unique organic material used in high-performance applications such as automotive and aeronautics. It is a non-flammable, infusible, and non-drip fiber, obtained from the controlled oxidation of PAN. During this process, fibers tend to shrink. The resulting chemical composition and mechanical properties of the fiber are dependent on the time and temperature of the process, as well as on the tension applied to the fiber during oxidation. In this work, it was questioned whether fiber shrinkage could be prevented by applying tension to the bundle of fibers during the stabilization process and whether the effect of fiber length variation on the chemical structure and mechanical properties of PAN fibers could be studied. Chemical reactions were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry coupled with thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, while strength and Young's modulus were determined by tensile tests. Results unravel a tension-applied, stabilization-process trade-off: enhanced stress reduces the yield of cyclization and dehydrogenation reactions. Fiber elongation inhibits these processes but boosts tensile strength and elastic modulus, particularly improving Young's modulus, however, it had a marginal influence on elongation at break. When the shrinkage of fibers was about 30 % (no stress applied) the tensile strength and Young's modulus were found to be the lowest values, 130 MPa and 4 GPa, respectively. The best compromise was found when the shrinkage was kept to about 5 %, resulting in improved strength of approximately 175 MPa and a modulus of 5 GPa. Therefore, effective tension management allows precise adjustment of PANOX fiber chemistry and mechanical properties, enabling tailored product design for diverse applications.

Pengaruh Susunan Hybrid Serat Resam Dan Ijuk Pada Matriks Polyester Untuk Mengetahui Nilai Impak

Along with the times, synthetic composite materials are often used as materials for making reinforcing car panels, car dashboards and other interior devices. Although synthetic composite materials have strong strength, synthetic composite materials are less environmentally friendly and have an expensive price. Natural fibres are an alternative to synthetic fibres in order to reduce natural pollution and reduce production costs. Therefore, in this research I will use palm fibre and resam as reinforcement material. The purpose of this research is to find out whether mixing between resam fibre and palm fibre to make a car dashboard has reached the standardised value of making a car dashboard. The hand lay-up method will be combined with the Taguchi method in the L9(34) orthogonal matrix design used as a guide for making test specimens. With tensile and impact testing. This study used variations in volume fraction of 25%, 30%, 35% fibre, as well as variations in fibre length of 30mm, 40mm, 50mm with 2h NaOH immersion. The highest average value of impact test strength was at 30% volume fraction of fibre with 30mm fibre length with a value of 0.0617 Joule and the lowest average value was at 25% volume fraction of fibre with 50mm fibre length with a value of 0.0307 Joule.

Dual Fiber-Optic Microphone Based on Coherent Synthesis Technology

This paper proposes a dual fiber-optic microphone (DFOM) based on coherent synthesis technology, in which the sound pickup module mainly consists of two optical fibers and a reflection film, constituting two identical Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometric cavities as the acoustic sensing structure. The use of dual fiber-optic can increase the light intensity of the reflected light received by the photodetector (PD), while offsetting signal distortion caused by factors such as fiber length and temperature variations, and reducing signal interference, thereby improving the purity and accuracy of the signal. The DFOM exhibits strong fault tolerance, in case one of the optical fibers fails, the other one can still perform normal sound collection, thus enhancing the reliability of the microphone. Acoustic tests show that the sound pressure sensitivity of this DFOM at a frequency of 250 Hz is 64.8 mV/Pa. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is as high as 62.45 dB under the action of a 6 kHz sound pressure signal. It maintains a linear sound pressure response and a flat frequency response in the range of 10 Hz to 20 kHz. These results indicate that the DFOM has high sensitivity and a wide frequency response range, making it suitable for acoustic detection within the audible range.

Investigation of mechanical and thermal behavior of sisal fibre reinforced polymer biocomposites

In this study, biocomposites were developed with reinforced natural sisal (Agave sisalana) fibres by hand lay-up method. Sisal fibre loading was kept constant (30 wt%) with varying fibre lengths (5, 10, 15 and 20 mm) incorporated in epoxy composites to study their effects on mechanical and thermal properties. Mechanical testing (Tensile, Flexural and Impact) and thermal testing (Thermo-gravimetric analysis) were performed to identify mechanical properties and thermal stability. The specimens for tensile, flexural and impact test were taken as 165 mm × 20 mm × 3 mm, 80 mm × 13 mm × 3 mm and 65 mm × 13 mm × 3 mm respectively. A remarkable improvement in tensile, flexural and impact strength were noticed in composites incorporated with sisal fibres of 15 mm. The significant enhancement in tensile, flexural and impact strength was evaluated by 20.15%, 39.95% and 47.27% respectively as compared to neat epoxy composite. Higher thermal stability was also observed in 15 mm sisal fibre-reinforced composite.

Mucin-Inspired Single-Chain Polymer (MIP) Fibers as Potent SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors.

Mucins are the key component of the defensive mucus barrier. They are extended fibers of very high molecular weight with diverse biological functions depending strongly on their specific structural parameters. Here, we present a mucin-inspired nanostructure, produced via a synthetic methodology to prepare methacrylate-based dendronized polysulfates (MIP-1) on a multi gram scale with relatively high molecular weight (MW = 450 kDa) and thiol end-functionalized mucin-inspired polymer (MIP) via RAFT polymerization. Cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) analysis of MIP-1 confirmed a mucin-mimetic wormlike single-chain fiber structure (length = 144.5 ± 59.4 nm) in aqueous solution. This biocompatible fiber showed promising activity against SARS-CoV-2 and its mutant strain, with a remarkable low half maximal (IC50) inhibitory concentration (IC50 = 10.0 nM). Additionally, we investigate the impact of fiber length on SARS-CoV-2 inhibition by testing other functional polymers (MIPs) of varying fiber lengths.

Mucin‐inspirierte Einzelstrang‐Polymerfasern (MIP) als wirksame SARS‐CoV‐2‐Inhibitoren

AbstractMucine sind eine Schlüsselkomponente der defensiven Schleimbarriere. Es handelt sich um ausgedehnte Fasern mit sehr hohem Molekulargewicht, deren vielfältige biologische Funktionen stark von ihren spezifischen Strukturparametern abhängen. Hier stellen wir eine Mucin‐inspirierte Nanostruktur basierend auf dendronisierten Polysulfaten auf Methacrylatbasis (MIP‐1) mit hohem Molekulargewicht (MW=450 kDa) vor. Das Thiol‐End‐funktionalisierte Mucin‐inspiriertem Polymer (MIP) wurde durch RAFT‐Polymerisation im Multi‐Gramm‐Maßstab hergestellt. Die Kryo‐Elektronentomographie‐Analyse (Kryo‐ET) von MIP‐1 bestätigte eine Mucin‐artige, wurmartige einkettige Faserstruktur (Länge=144±59 nm) in wässriger Lösung. Diese biokompatible Faser zeigte eine vielversprechende Aktivität mit einer bemerkenswert niedrigen mittleren inhibitorischen Konzentration (IC50, mit IC50=10.0 nM) gegenüber SARS‐CoV‐2 und dessen Mutantenstamm. Darüber hinaus untersuchen wir die Auswirkungen der Faserlänge auf die Hemmung gegenüber SARS‐CoV‐2, indem wir andere funktionelle Polymere (MIPs) mit unterschiedlichen Faserlängen miteinander vergleichen.

Performance evaluation of mercerization and acetylation on hardness of raffia palm fibre

As the demand for environmentally friendly products rises and global awareness on reducing toxicities in manufacturing increases, the exploitation of plant-based raw materials like raffia palm fiber requires closer attention. In this study, the effect of sodium hydroxide and acetic anhydride concentration on the hardness of raffia palm fiber at varying drying temperature and fiber length were investigated. The treatments were carried out using 10% sodium hydroxide solution and 5% acetic anhydride at oven drying temperatures of 70oC for mercerized fiber and 50oC for acetylated fiber with varying fiber length of 50mm, 60mm, 70mm and 80mm. Findings show hardness values of 257HR and 370HR for 10% NaOH at 70oC and 5% acetic anhydride at 50oC respectively showing a 30.38% rise in Rockwell Hardness value in the acetylated fibers over the mercerized cohorts. Remarkably, these results were obtained at ideal fiber lengths of 60mm in both treatments. Hence, acetylation treatment at 5% acetic anhydride concentration and 50oC oven-drying temperature using 60mm fiber length offered optimal hardness value for raffia palm fiber. This is highly recommended for industrial commercialization for composites in the automobile, construction, manufacturing, medical, sports, oil and gas industries. In addition, the results from this study will open new economic values for Nigerian Raffia Palm fiber as potential reinforcement material for both domestic and international markets and applications.