Mercerizing Extraction and Physicochemical Characterizations of Lignocellulosic Fiber from the Leaf Waste of Mikania micrantha Kunth ex H.B.K

ABSTRACT

Invasive plants can grow rampantly and spread fast in large amount, which can be economically invoked for generating value-added products. In this study, lignocellulosic fiber was extracted from the leaf waste of a luxuriant invasive plant, Mikania micrantha Kunth-ex H.B.K. by mercerization process. After the alkaline treatment, the lignocellulosic biomass remained at 38.54% resulting from the large removal of extractive impurities. The lignocellulosic fraction in the mercerized leaf fiber was improved from 56.59% to 83.96%. The chemical composition analysis showed the cellulose fraction was increased by 11.17% while the hemicellulose and lignin fractions were found to be decreased by 4.89% and 6.28%, respectively. The FT-IR and TGA results further affirmed the change in chemical composition of the lignocellulosic fiber. Furthermore, an increase in cellulose fraction raised the fiber crystallinity index from 11.0% to 36.7%. The SEM study revealed that the surface morphology of lignocellulosic fiber changed from smooth surface into rough corrugated ridges, which affirmed the increase in crystallinity, resulting from the removal of wrapped cementing materials. In subsequent, the lignocellulosic fiber exhibited more pervious to water attack with an increase in moisture absorption from 119.22% to 410.19%.

摘要

外来入侵植物可以大量生长并迅速传播，这可以从经济上激发产生增值产品。在这项研究中，木质纤维素纤维是从一个茂盛的入侵植物，Mikania micrantha Kunth-Ex.H.B.K的叶废料中提取丝光过程。碱处理后，由于萃取杂质的大量去除，木质纤维素生物量保持在38.54%。丝光叶纤维中木质纤维素的比例由56.59%提高到83.96%。化学成分分析表明，纤维素含量提高了11.17%，半纤维素和木质素含量分别降低了4.89%和6.28%。FTIR和TGA结果进一步证实木质纤维素纤维的化学组成的变化。此外，纤维素含量的增加使纤维的结晶度指数从11%提高到36.7%。SEM分析表明，木质纤维素纤维的表面形貌由光滑表面转变为粗糙的波纹脊，证实了包覆胶凝材料去除后结晶度的增加。随后，木质纤维素纤维表现出更透水性，吸湿率从119.22%增加到410.19%。

KEYWORDS:

• Lignocellulosic fiber
• invasive plant
• Mikania micrantha
• mercerization
• value-added products
• sustainable agricultural practices

关键词:

• 木质纤维素纤维
• 入侵植物
• 丝光处理
• 增值产品
• 可持续农业实践

Acknowledgments

The main author (C.J. Lim) would like to gratefully acknowledge the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia for supporting him MyPhD scholarship (MyBrain15 program) in his PhD degree study.

Declaration

This manuscript has not been published elsewhere and that it has not been submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.