Characterization of Banana Fibers Functional Groups by Infrared Spectroscopy

A number of methods are available for characterization of the structural, physical, and chemical properties of natural fibers. Various methods are used for fiber identification like microscopic analysis, solubility, heating and burning technique density, staining etc. End-use property characterization methods often involve use of laboratory techniques which are adapted to simulate actual application as composite reinforcement. One of the techniques used on this kind of studies is the infrared spectroscopy. In fact, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a valuable tool in the determination of functional groups actively interacting within a fiber. In this work, the banana fiber was evaluated by FTIR to reveal these functional groups and compare to similar works on other different types of banana fibers.