Characterization of Ficus amplissima Stem Fiber as a Potential Reinforcement for Polymer Composites

This research mainly emphases on characterizing Ficus amplissima stem fiber (FASF) as reinforcement for fiber reinforced plastics. The fiber was separated from stem through water retting process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the crystallinity index (CI) and crystallite size (CS) of the FASF were 76% and 2.23 nm, respectively. The chemical composition analysis revealed the higher cellulose content (61.47 ± 5.88 wt.%), moderate hemicellulose (13.59 ± 3.43 wt.%) and lignin contents (11.42 ± 4.16 wt.%) in the FASF. The existence of oxygen (O), carbon (C), and inorganic mineral impurities (Na and Ca) on the outer layer of the FASF was traced by Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. The cellulose in the FASF was degraded at 315°C, as determined through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The chemical functional groups of FASF were acquired with the help of FTIR analysis. Surface morphological features and roughness characteristics of FASF were examined with the assistance of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).