Morphological, Physical, and Thermal Properties of Chemically Treated Banana Fiber

Environmental consciousness and increasing awareness of green technology have stirred the entire gamut of industry to move toward new materials instead of using synthetic polymeric fibers. Natural fiber can be a good substitute as they are available in fibrous form at low cost. In this study, the chemical treatment of banana fiber (Musa sapientum) using sodium hypochlorite NaClO/H2O (1:1) at 60 degrees C is discussed. The purpose of chemical treatment is to improve the fiber-matrix compatibility, interfacial strength, physical, and thermal properties, etc. The chemical composition of fibers on treatment indicated increase of cellulose content and decrease of noncellulosic material. The changes due to chemical treatment were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction methods. Scanning electron microscope studies revealed the changes in surface morphology after chemical treatment. And also, the treated fibers showed reduced water uptake and improved thermal properties.