Extraction and Characterization of a New Natural Cellulosic Fiber from Bark of Ficus Carica Plant as Potential Reinforcement for Polymer Composites

Figures & data

Figure 1. (a) Ficus Carica plant (b) Ficus Carica fiber.

Table 1. Chemical compositions and density of raw FCBFs and different natural fibers.

Fiber name	Cellulose (%)	Lignin (%)	Hemi cellulose (%)	Density (kg/m^3)	Ash (%)	Wax (%)	Moisture content (%)	Reference
Ficus Carica fiber	63.17	13.7	12.08	1420	1.05	0.42	9.07	Present Study
Hibiscus vitifolius	75.09	10.42	13.34	1530	0.94	0.17	11.31	(Manivel et al. 2021)
Tithonia Diversifolia	65.33	15.06	12.25	-	6.78	0.67	9.23	(Manivel et al. 2023)
Coccinia Indica	64.56	12.55	14.09	1370	-	0.25	7.27	(Bhuvaneshwaran et al. 2021)
Cissus Populnea	61.8	11.52	14.74	717	1.59	2.94	3.94	(Azeez et al. 2020)
Calotropis procera	54.5	14.8	12.3	860	7.6	1.5	9.3	(Yoganandam et al. 2020)
Bamboo	26–43	1–31	30	910	-	-	9.16	(John and Anandjiwala 2008)
Jute	61–71.5	8–12	17.9–22.4	-	0.5–2	0.5	12.5–13.7	(Venkateshwaran and Elayaperumal 2010)
Sisal	67–78	8–12	10–12	-	1	2	11	(Ponnu Krishnan and Selwin Rajadurai 2017)

Figure 2. FTIR spectrum of FCBF fiber.

Figure 3. XRD spectrum of FCBF fiber.

Table 2. Mechanical, crystalline and thermal properties of raw FCBFs and various natural fibers.

Fiber name	Gauge Length (mm)	Tensile strength (MPa)	Elongation at break (%)	Crystallinity index (%)	Crystal size (nm)	Thermal stability (°C)	Reference
Ficus Carica fiber	50	482 ± 6	2.72–4.91	41.42	5.51	225	Present Study
Hibiscus vitifolius	-	224.32–716.70	3.99–8.77	67.07	2.09	260	(Manivel et al. 2021)
Coccinia Indica	50	645	4.46	53.03	5.81	204	(Bhuvaneshwaran et al. 2021)
Cissus Populnea	100	966.75	2.01	-	-	-	Azeez et al., 2020
Bamboo	100	503	-	-	-	-	(John and Anandjiwala 2008)
Jute	60	393–773	-	-	-	-	(Venkateshwaran and Elayaperumal 2010)
Sisal	50	540–640	-	-	-	-	(Ponnu Krishnan and Selwin Rajadurai 2017)

Figure 4. TG/DTG curves of FCBF fiber.

Figure 5. (a-c). SEM images of single FCBF fiber.

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