Dielectric relaxation of mediterranean lignocellulosic fibers for sustainable functional biomaterials

Green composite materials have become one of the most potential alternative solutions for various sustainable industries. Green bio-materials have the capability of being functional materials for wide range of high-tech applications including anti-bacterial food packaging, implantable sensors and energy harvesting devices due to their desired novel characteristics. In this work, the electrical characteristics of some of the most widely available Mediterranean lignocellulosic fibers have been investigated for the first time for their suitability for functional biomaterials. Various electrical features of Jordanian agro waste leaf fibers including lemon, loquat, palm, and olive types were studied as a response to various parameters including position (space dependence of the electrical properties), frequency, and strength of the applied electrical field. The considered lignocellulosic fiber characteristics were limited to the dielectric constant, resistivity, and electrical loss tangent. All measurements were taken at room temperature within the frequency range of 10 Hz to 8 MHz for 1V peak voltage and 10 Hz to 100 KHz for 5V peak voltage. Measurements of the considered investigated parameters were repeated for a set of four different samples of each fiber type to enhance the reliability of the drawn conclusions. Results have demonstrated significant variations of the fibers characteristics as a function of frequency. Moreover, noteworthy variations were achieved for each fiber with the considered parameters at low frequency range. However, it was not the case considering higher ranges of frequency in case of both the applied electrical field strength and position parameters. Furthermore, high consistency in the homogeneity trends for each fiber type was revealed. The overall findings would enhance more potential applications for the Jordanian agro waste fibers according to various functional requirements.