Tree Age, Leaf Maturity and Exposure to Sunlight Influence Tensile Strength of Fibres in Pandanus Utilis

ABSTRACT

Fibers from Pandanus utilis leaves were investigated to determine how fibre strength varies with tree and leaf maturity, exposure to sunlight, leaf degradation state, and fibre position along the leaf. Such information is necessary to optimise leaf harvest to obtain strongest fibres. It has been shown that the strongest fibre comes from a young leaf from a younger tree exposed to the sunlight. Tests and SEM revealed two types of fibres, thin and thick; with the former being stronger. A new method to precisely measure the shape and area of the fibre cross-section, the pre-extraction method that generates optimum-fibre-yield are presented.

摘要

对乌桕叶片的纤维进行了研究以确定纤维强度如何随树木和叶片成熟、暴露于阳光、叶片退化状态和纤维沿叶的位置而变化.这些信息对于优化叶片收获以获得最强的纤维是必要的.已经证明最强的纤维来自于暴露在阳光下的幼树的嫩叶.测试和SEM显示两种纤维薄和厚前者更强.本文提出了一种精确测量纤维截面形状和面积的新方法——预提取法该方法可以获得最佳的纤维产量.

KEYWORDS:

• Pandanus utilis
• leaf maturity
• tree maturity
• sunlight exposure
• tensile strength (TS)
• cross-section area (CSA)

关键词:

• 乌桕属
• 叶片成熟
• 树木成熟
• 阳光照射
• 抗拉强度
• 横截面积（CSA）

List of abbreviations

ANOVA analysis of variation

CSAcross-Section Area

FTIRFourier transform infra-red spectroscopy

PuPandanus utilis

SEMscanning electron microscopy

SNsignal to noise ratio

TGAthermogravimetric analysis

TkFthick fibre (0.09 to 0.16 mm² in cross-section-area)

TnFthin fibre (0.02 to 0.05 mm² in cross-section-area)

TStensile strength