Blending of Hibiscus Cannabinus with Ramie for value added products
Loading...
Date
2018-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AAU, Jorhat
Abstract
Natural fiber seems to be the most imminent alternative for chemically treated synthetic fibers. Products from natural fibers are now getting more and more preferred across the globe over synthetic fiber products which has less bio degradable characters and the manufacture of which add more to the carbon credit. India has a big role to play in such a situation by utilizing its large reservoir of fibers in the most diverse terrine of the country.
One of the bast fiber Kenaf which is being selected for the study is a feasible source of cellulose which is economically viable and ecologically friendly which could be utilized for extraction of fiber. This study is an attempt to explore the possibilities of Kenaf fibers blending with Ramie fiber. Natural fiber blending with other fiber posses valuable properties and presently various diversified products are made from these fibers. Blending is done to produce fabrics with a better combination of performance characteristics in the product and to obtain better hand on fabric appearance. There is no perfect fiber. All fibers have good, fair and poor characteristics. Blending enables the technician to combine fibers so that the good qualities are emphasized and poor qualities are minimized.
Efforts have been made in the present investigation to extract the fiber from Kenaf plant, and its blending with Ramie fiber and preparation of fabric for making diversified products. The physical and chemical properties of the fibers were evaluated accordingly. Kenaf and Ramie fibers were subjected to blending process at the ratio of Kenaf: Ramie 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 to produce yarns. The physical properties such as twist, count, tenacity, elongation, wicking height, and density of blended yarns were evaluated and the blended proportion Kenaf: Ramie 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 were feasible for producing fabric using the plain weave construction and used to produce value added products.
The constructed fabrics were then analysed for mechanical properties such as fabric count, cover factor, fabric weight, thickness, stiffness and crease recovery. Also standard graphs on Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and Infrared test were done for both controlled and blended samples. The functional properties such as tensile strength, elongation, drapability, and wicking height, air permeability and tearing strength were also evaluated. The study on the fabric properties showed satisfactory results for both controlled and blended fabrics for textile use. Finally, value added products were prepared for the controlled and blended fabrics. Subjective evaluations of the products were done through visual assessment method and the respondents opined that, all the products were better suited according to type of the fabric which can be recommended for commercialization.