Characterization of Cellulose Fiber Extracted from Stems of Myriostachya wightiana (MW) Plants: A Viable Reinforcement for Polymer Composite

There is an urgent need to investigate more eco-friendly fibres due to the high cost of traditional cellulosic fibres. Eco-friendly MW fibre was extracted and characterised as a potential replacement for risky artificial fibre. Physicochemical, XRD, FTIR, SEM, thermal analysis, and Weibull distribution methods were used to study MW fibre as a biocomposite reinforcement. The density, tensile strength, Young's modulus, strain at failure, and micro-fibril angle of MW fibre with an average diameter of 102.278 μm were found to be 1372–1510 kg/m 3 , 46.554 MPa, 2.442 GPa, 8–9%, and 22 ± 1°, respectively. The predicted Young's modulus and strength of the fibre showed a good match with the experimental data in the Weibull distribution analysis. In addition, FTIR verified the presence of cellulose (O = H), hemicellulose (C = O), lignin (C = C), and wax (CC) in the fibre. XRD study reveals CI and CS of 58.07% and 2.86 nm, respectively. The activation energy of 63.156 kJ/mol and thermal stability up to 300 °C were noted during TGA, DTGA, and DSC studies. The fiber's high cellulose content (70 wt%) and roughness (23.664 μ m) contributed to its specific strength and adherence to the polymer matrix. The importance of the present study suggests potential applications of this fiber in the fields of papermaking, packaging, lignocellulose composites, and cellulose nanocomposite manufacturing.