Investigation of the effectiveness of food grade reagents in the extraction of cellulosic plant fibers

Food grade reagents are cheap, readily available, safer to work on, and non-toxic to living organisms and to the environment. Their effectiveness in the extraction of cellulosic plant fibers help reduce the use of inorganic reagents which are often employed in chemical treatment methods to produce fiber strands with improved surface topography and crystallographic structures. It is the aim of this investigation to determine the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 )/baking soda, acetic acid (CH 3 COOH) in white vinegar, and H 2 O 2 in the production of cellulosic fibers from banana ( Musa acuminata ) pseudo stem and sayote ( Sechium edule ) vines. Plant samples were collected and sun-dried before chemical pre-treatment for 6days and 10 days. Pre-soaked samples were then mechanically crushed, acid hydrolyzed, and treated with H 2 O 2 . The samples were washed with distilled water every after chemical treatment. Characterization techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, Digital Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis were employed to determine Crystallinity Index (CI), fiber fineness, surface morphology, and chemical properties of the extracted cellulosic fibers. Based on the data gathered, longer pre-soaking time produced fibers with higher CI, finer strands, a more defined fiber surface, and decreased surface impurities. This study therefore proves the effectiveness of food grade reagents in the production of cellulosic fibers from plants. These cellulosic fibers can be employed in eco-friendly composite fabrication, water filtration devices, textiles, and among other applications.