Characterization of ligno-cellulosic seed fibre from Wrightia Tinctoria plant for textile applications - an exploratory investigation

A hitherto uninvestigated ligno-cellulosic seed fibre from the plant Wrightia Tinctoria has been chosen for the cut-rent study to unravel its physical properties, and potentialities in textile applications. Both raw and partially delignified fibres were tested for their morphological and structural features by X-ray diffraction, optical microscope and FT-IR spectra, thermal properties by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry and fibre fineness properties. The non-spinnable brittle virgin fibre becomes spinnable after partial delignification due to the decreased fibre rigidity imparted by lignin. Knitted fabrics were made successfully with (20%) and without cotton blending. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.