Title: Thermal characteristics of batch-processed biodegradable cellulosic fibres

Authors: E.I. Akpan; S.O. Adeosun; G.I. Lawal; S.A. Balogun; X.D. Chen

Addresses: Department of Materials and Production Engineering, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma 310101, Nigeria ' Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos 100213, Nigeria ' Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos 100213, Nigeria ' Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State 112212, Nigeria ' Chemical Engineering Innovation Laboratory, Soochow University, Suzhou 215400, China

Abstract: Thermal characteristics of processed macro-fibres from five agricultural wastes have been studied. Cellulosic fibres for composite applications are extracted from groundnut shell, coconut shell, rice husk, palm bunch and palm stalk using two paths (M1 and M2) and characterised for improvement in thermal behaviour. Thermal degradation and stability of the processed fibres are characterised using thermo gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results show that M2-treated fibres generally possess higher heats of dehydration than M1-treated fibres and this is an indication of superior thermal behaviour of M2-treated fibres. Differential thermal gravimetry curves show that M2-processed fibres contain higher percentage of cellulose content than M1, which shows the removal of lignin and hemicellulose during degradation. Decomposition activation energy of fibres confirms that M1 fibres require higher activation energy for decomposition than M2. Higher degradation temperature is noted for M1-treated fibres than M2-treated fibres.

Keywords: cellulosic fibres; thermal stability; thermal degradation; dehydration heat; activation energy; batch processing; biodegradable fibres; macro-fibres; agricultural waste; groundnut shells; coconut shells; rice husks; palm bunches; palm stalks; cellulose content; lignin; hemicellulose; decomposition; degradation temperature.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2015.072913

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2015 Vol.10 No.3/4, pp.172 - 184

Received: 25 Jul 2014
Accepted: 23 Dec 2014
Published online: 07 Nov 2015 *

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