Extraction and Characterization of Sustainable Cellulosic Fibers from Urera Hypselodendron Plant

Nowadays, researchers are paying more attention to natural fibers because they are under-dominated by synthetic fibers. This is implied in terms of their low cost, renewability, biodegradability, and the need for low energy for their production. The purpose of this study is to extract bast fiber from the plant using water retting and alkali treatment. Analysis of the composition of fibers extracted by water retting revealed 71% cellulose, 15% hemicellulose, and 17% lignin, while 74% cellulose, 11% hemicellulose, and 12.6% lignin by 3% NaOH. Fiber diameter was measured at 106 μm for water-retted fibers and 97 μm for alkali-extracted fibers. The tensile strength was 4.2 cN/dtex for water-retted fibers, and 5.6 cN/dtex for alkali-extracted fibers. The extracted fiber analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to evaluate the functional groups, and the chemical bonds on the fiber molecule. The moisture content of the fiber was 7.14% by water retting and 6.8% by 3% NaOH less than the jute and flax fibers. The fineness of 1.87 tex water retting decreased from 1.02 tex. Fibers could be used as an alternative material for composites and other technical textile applications.