Characterization of New Natural Cellulosic Fiber from Acacia leucophloea Bark

There is a need to explore the possibility of natural fibers as a novel reinforcement to fabricate lightweight composite structures. This investigation was aimed at understanding the characteristics of fiber extracted from the bark of the Acacia leucophloea (AL) plant and its physico-chemical properties. Cellulose content (68.09wt.%), density (1385kg/m(3)), crystallinity index (51%), tensile strength (317-1608MPa), and Young's modulus (8.41-69.61GPa) properties were identified in the AL fibers, and thermal studies using TG and DTG analysis revealed that they degraded at a temperature of 220 degrees C with kinetic activation energy of 73.1kJ/mol.