Physical and Chemical Properties of Water-Retted Fibers Extracted from Different Locations in Corn Husks

ABSTRACT

Corn is the most commonly produced crop in the world producing immense agricultural residues, including corn husks. In search for handling corn husks as a fiber source, the quality of fibers extracted from different parts of corn husks by water retting is investigated. The effects of the location of the leaves in the husks and the part of the leaves where the fibers were extracted from on the mechanical, physical, and chemical characteristics of the fibers have been investigated. The coarseness of extracted fibers decreases from outer to the inner leaves in the husk and from the lower to the upper parts of the leaves. Breaking tenacity, breaking force, and elongation at break values of the fibers increase from the upper to the lower parts of the husk leaves. The fibers from the lower parts of the leaves showed greater hemicellulose, pectin, moisture content, and water absorption capacity compared to fibers obtained from the upper part of the corn husk leaves. With superior mechanical properties and lower moisture content and water absorption fibers from the lower parts of corn husk leaves may be considered advantageous for technical use such as in fiberboards. The fibers from the upper portion that are finer and can hold more moisture are more advantageous in terms of comfort aspects. The mechanical properties of the obtained water-retted fibers have been found to be superior to the corn husk fibers of prior studies produced by alkalization.

摘要

玉米是世界上最常见的生产作物，其残余物具有巨大的农业利用价值，包括玉米苞叶。玉米苞叶经过处理可作为纤维来源，本文对通过水沤法从玉米苞叶的不同部位提取纤维的质量进行了研究。苞叶的位置以及苞叶的不同部位对于从中提取的纤维的机械、物理和化学特性都有影响，本文对此也进行了研究。按照苞叶从外层到内层、从苞叶低端部位到高端部位的顺序，所提取纤维的粗度不断降低。按照苞叶从低端部位到高端部位的顺序，纤维的断裂强度、断裂力和断裂值的伸长率逐渐增加。与从玉米苞叶上部提取的纤维相比，从苞叶下部提取的纤维具有更高的半纤维素、果胶、水分含量和吸水能力。从玉米苞叶下部提取的纤维具有出色的机械性能和较低的水分含量及吸水性，被认为在纤维板技术等应用上具有优势。从苞叶上部提取的纤维更细、可容纳更多水分，在舒适性应用方面更有优势。研究发现，与以前通过碱化法生产的玉米苞叶纤维相比，水沤法生产的纤维的机械性能更为出色。

KEYWORDS:

• Agricultural residue
• biodegradable
• characterization
• corn husk
• fiber
• water retting
• waste management

关键词:

• 农业残余物
• 可生物降解
• 特性
• 玉米苞叶
• 纤维
• 水沤
• 废弃物管理

Funding

The authors would like to thank Pamukkale University Scientific Research for its financial support under project number 2014HZL001.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank Pamukkale University Scientific Research for its financial support under project number 2014HZL001.