Effect of Chemical Treatment on Physical, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Ladies Finger Natural Fiber

In present research, natural fiber obtained from ladies finger plant was chemically treated separately using alkali (2% NaOH), chromium sulfate (4% <svg style="vertical-align:-3.86845pt;width:145.83749px;" id="M1" height="17.012501" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 145.83749 17.012501" width="145.83749" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,12.138)"><path id="x43" d="M614 175l29 -10q-33 -109 -57 -154q-121 -26 -184 -26q-90 0 -160.5 29t-112.5 77t-63.5 105.5t-21.5 119.5q0 157 108 253t277 96q36 0 71.5 -5t69 -13.5t36.5 -8.5q15 -102 20 -150l-29 -8q-20 79 -66.5 114t-128.5 35q-119 0 -187.5 -86t-68.5 -207 q0 -140 73.5 -227.5t188.5 -87.5q73 0 119.5 37.5t86.5 116.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,11.367,12.138)"><path id="x72" d="M181 342h2q63 107 121 107q24 0 41 -16t17 -34q0 -34 -32 -49q-17 -7 -26 2q-21 20 -43 20q-20 0 -42 -22t-38 -63v-183q0 -50 12.5 -62t69.5 -16v-26h-230v26q47 5 58 17t11 61v207q0 49 -9 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112q0 64 -39 96.5t-88 32.5q-29 0 -64 -11l-6 29q77 25 118 57.5t41 84.5 q0 45 -26.5 69.5t-68.5 24.5q-67 0 -120 -79l-20 20l43 63q51 56 127 56h1q66 0 107 -37t41 -95q0 -42 -31 -71q-22 -23 -68 -54z" /></g> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,72.975,12.138)"><path id="x2022" d="M455 252q0 -79 -57 -136t-136 -57q-80 0 -136 56q-56 58 -56 137q0 77 56 135q57 57 136 57q84 0 138 -56q55 -55 55 -136z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,85.639,12.138)"><path id="x31" d="M384 0h-275v27q67 5 81.5 18.5t14.5 68.5v385q0 38 -7.5 47.5t-40.5 10.5l-48 2v24q85 15 178 52v-521q0 -55 14.5 -68.5t82.5 -18.5v-27z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,93.798,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x32"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,101.958,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x28"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,107.839,12.138)"><path id="x48" d="M729 650v-28q-62 -5 -76 -19.5t-14 -75.5v-404q0 -62 13.5 -76t75.5 -19v-28h-268v28q65 5 79.5 19t14.5 76v199h-341v-199q0 -62 14 -76t76 -19v-28h-263v28q61 5 74.5 19t13.5 76v404q0 62 -14 76t-76 19v28h259v-28q-58 -5 -71 -19t-13 -76v-162h341v162 q0 61 -13.5 75.5t-72.5 19.5v28h261z" /></g> <g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,120.862,16.212)"><use xlink:href="#x32"/></g> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,127.2,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x4F"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,139.898,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x29"/></g> </svg>), and chromium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate (4% <svg style="vertical-align:-3.86845pt;width:226.28751px;" id="M2" height="17.012501" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 226.28751 17.012501" width="226.28751" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x43"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,11.367,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x72"/></g> <g transform="matrix(.012,-0,0,-.012,17.675,16.212)"><use xlink:href="#x32"/></g> <g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,24.013,12.138)"><use xlink:href="#x28"/></g><g 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Both raw and chemically treated fibers were subsequently characterized using mechanical (tensile), structural (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy), and thermal (thermogravimetric) analysis. Fourier analysis showed the presence of (−OH) group in the ladies plant fiber. Scanning electron micrographs revealed rougher surface in case of alkali treated fiber, while thin coating layer was formed on the fiber surface during other two treatments. Tensile test on ladies finger single fiber was carried out by varying span length. The tensile strength and Young's modulus values were found to be increased after chemical treatment. For both raw and chemically treated fibers, Young's modulus increased and tensile strength decreased with increase in span length. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated the same level of thermal stability for both raw and treated ladies finger fibers.