Characterization and Comparative Insights on Agave Americana and Agave Sisalana Leaf Fibers for High-Performance Applications

Abstract

This work is focused on characterization and comparative study of agave americana and agave sisalana leaf fibers which can be used as potential alternative for synthetic fibers in engineering applications. Physico-chemical and mechanical properties of agave fibers were determined using different analytical procedures and instruments. According to the experimental data, the mean length and diameter of agave americana fibers were maximum of 1.76 m and 411 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the particular fibers possess larger amount of hemicellulose (17.4%) and moisture (~8%) which confirmed they are relatively hydrophilic in nature. Conversely, agave sisalana fibers possess larger amount of cellulose (66.4%) and ligni10.1080/10942912.2023.2246677n (~16%) compared to agave americana fibers. Meanwhile, SEM microstructure also proved surface of agave americana fibers was comparably rough, full of cracks and linings. EDAX analysis showed presence of significant amount of C and O, including trace amount of Ca, K, Si and S. Similarly, the semicrystalline agave americana fibers are longer and thicker possessing greater mean linear density (29.68 Tex). Agave sisalana fibers recorded maximum breaking tensile strength and elongation at break (512 MPa) and (~6%), respectively. These findings strongly suggested that agave fibers possess interesting features which can be used as potential reinforcement fibers for composite engineering.

Keywords

• natural fibers
• agave americana
• agave sisalana
• characterization
• extraction and physico-chemical properties