Effect on physical characteristics of jute fibres with cellulase and specific mixed enzyme systems

This research investigated the effect of using cellulase enzyme and a mixture of enzymes (cellulase, xylanase and pectinase), under specific treatment conditions, on the physical characteristics of jute fibres. The physical characteristics such as tenacity, elongation to break, flexural rigidity and structural analysis using scanning electron microscopy and colour measurements using colour spectroscopy were studied. Tensile characteristics of these enzyme-treated jute fibres in terms of tenacity (cN/tex) were found to decrease by approximately 9.05%, 14.76% and 19.83% for cellulase enzyme treatment and 11.96%, 13.47% and 23.81% for mixed enzymes at 2%, 3% and 4% concentration levels, respectively. Significant improvements in physical characteristics such as elongation, whiteness index, brightness index and reflectance of these enzyme-treated jute fibres were noticed when compared to those of raw jute fibres. The significant reduction in flexural rigidity and yellowness index of these enzyme-treated jute fibres was also noticed. Scanning electron microscopy reveals the degradation of the jute fibre at surface level and along with the removal of the gummy substances present on the surface; this degradation depends on the various concentrations of the enzyme.