The Analysis of Fibre Properties of Water Retted Sansevieria trifasciata with Sodium Hydroxide

Abstract

In the last decade, natural fibres have been in high demand because of their strength, high efficiency, and biodegradability easy availability for nature and improved textile properties than synthetic fibre. So, the increasing preference towards natural and green textile products rather than synthetic products has increased the attraction of tourists to the local as well as outside markets. Therefore, the present paper focused on the analysis of sodium hydroxide on the fibre properties of water-retted S. trifasciata (snake plant) fibres. The extraction of fibres from snake plant leaves was conducted by using water water-retted method. Three different time periods were selected i.e. 10, 15 and 20 days for water retting. After water retting, the selected fibres were treated with an alkali i.e. NaOH. The optimum conditions for alkali were chemical concentration, material to liquor, time durations, treatment temperature and pH for standardization of the process of alkali treatment. The effect of sodium hydroxide was analyzed on fibre properties such as fibre yield, fineness, bundle strength, and elongation at the break. As a result, a gradual fibre yield was to be increased to decrease after being treated with alkali (NaOH). The alkali-treated fibres fibre yield, fineness and bundle strength was recorded (0.84±0.02 g), (23.51±0.39 denier) and (47.97±0.13 g/tex). Elongation of the alkali-treated fibres was 5.02±0.007 per cent. The resulting fibre properties were found suitable for other textile products such as apparel, reinforcement material composite etc.