Suitability Assessment of Musa Acuminate Peduncles Fiber for Fabrication of Green Composites

Abstract

In this investigation, a novel fiber from peduncles of the Musa acuminate plant was extracted through the stored water retting technique. Through chemical analysis, composition of different compounds, such as cellulose content (66.43 wt.%), hemicellulose (13.72 wt.%), lignin (16.85 wt.%), and wax (0.28 wt.%), was analyzed. The cellulose type-I, cellulose type-II, and amorphous fraction in the Musa acuminate peduncle fiber (MAPF) were identified through X-ray diffraction analysis and confirmed through Fourier transform infrared analysis. Thermal stability (175°C) and kinetic activation energy (86.95 kJ/mol) of the MAPF were estimated through thermogravimetric, differential thermogravimetric, and Broido’s curve, respectively. A slightly smooth surface in the MAPF was found through the surface topographical analysis, so a mild surface modification of the MAPF is recommended.

Keywords

• musa acuminate plant fiber
• physical and chemical analyses
• crystallographic analysis
• thermal stability
• surface morphology