Natural Cellulosic Fiber from Coccinia Indica Stem for Polymer Composites: Extraction and Characterization.

This study mainly focuses on the possibility of using Coccinia Indica (CI) fiber as reinforcement in structural polymer composite materials because of its lightweight and eco-friendly nature. Fibers were extracted from the dried stems by combing process using metal teeth brush. The thermo-physico-mechanical properties, chemical compositions, and morphological structures of CI fiber were analyzed in detail. A higher percentage of cellulose content in CI fiber and the lesser amount of skimpy lignin, hemicellulose, ash, and wax content were confirmed through chemical analysis. The functional groups with their corresponding peaks were depicted through FTIR analysis. XRD studies divulge that the CI fiber contains crystallinity index (CrI) of 53.03% and crystallite size (L) of 5.81 nm. SEM revealed that the fiber possesses cylindrical morphology with multi-cellular structure. The presence of parenchyma and chlorenchyma tissues in the cell wall of CI fiber was also confirmed, which helps for better adhesion and mechanical properties to the composite. TGA study reveals that the major degradation of CI fiber occurs at a temperature range of 204.16°C to 376.3°C. The tensile strength of cellulose-based CI fiber is comparable with the other conventional fibers and it is well enough for its usage as reinforcing material in composite manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]