Okra, a New Technical Bast Fiber: Its Comparison with Jute Fiber

ABSTRACT

Okra bast fiber (OBF) is one of the underutilized natural bast fibers, extracted from the bark of the okra plant’s (Abelmoschus esculentus) stem. Globally, the okra crop is cultivated for its green immature fruit consumed as a vegetable. After fruit harvesting, the okra plants are treated as agro-waste. Worldwide, 62.11 lakh MT of green okra plant agro-waste is estimated annually. This agro-waste can be utilized to extract the technical bast fibers. The estimated production potential per hectare is 162 kg OBF and nearly 186 lakh kg OBF in the world. Extracted OBF has the potential to be utilized as commercial fiber-like jute fiber (JF). Therefore, the properties of extracted OBF were compared with those of JF in terms of linear density (tex), optical, tensile, and structural properties. OBF was extracted from the 120 ± 10 days old okra plant harvest waste through the water retting process (both flowing and stagnant water) in two different time intervals (17 and 25 days). Overall OBF showed better optical properties and similar or better tensile properties, while coarseness in its fineness than JF.

摘要

黄秋葵韧皮纤维是一种未充分利用的天然韧皮纤维, 从黄秋葵茎的树皮中提取. 在全球范围内, 黄秋葵因其绿色未成熟果实作为蔬菜而被种植. 收获果实后, 黄秋葵被视为农业废弃物. 全世界每年估计有6211万公吨绿色黄秋葵植物农业废弃物. 这种农业废弃物可用于提取技术韧皮纤维. 世界上每公顷的估计生产潜力为162公斤OBF和近186万公斤OBF. 提取的OBF有潜力用作商业纤维, 如黄麻纤维 (JF). 因此, 从线密度 (tex), 光学, 拉伸和结构特性方面比较了提取的OBF和JF的特性. 在两个不同的时间间隔 (17天和25天), 通过水脱胶过程 (流动和停滞水) 从120 ± 10天的老黄秋葵植物收获废物中提取OBF. 整体而言, OBF的光学性能和拉伸性能与JF相似或更好, 而其细度的粗糙度比JF高.

KEYWORDS:

• Okra bast fiber
• water retting
• optical properties
• bundle tenacity
• jute fiber
• fiber fineness

关键词:

• 黄秋葵韧皮纤维
• 水脱胶
• 光学特性
• 束韧性
• 黄麻纤维
• 纤维细度

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the National Institute of Natural Fiber Engineering and Technology (NINFET, Erstwhile ICAR-NIRJAFT), Kolkata, for providing the jute fiber to conduct this study. The authors also thank Mr. Pankaj, Sintex Textile Private Limited, India, for providing the testing facility.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).