Sisal fibre

Sisal 

Sisal is an important leaf fibre in terms of its quality and applications It is obtained from the plant Agave Sisalana. Sisal is a xerophylic crop and is grown under wide range of agroclimatic and adoptic conditions except in waterlogged and ill drained soils.

The plant grows in a moist climate with a dry season and rocky soil. The countries, where sisal grows are.

USA, Florida, Bahamans, East Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and Phillipine3 Sis 9 The agaves have rosettes. of fleshy leaves, usually Long.  And narrow which grow out from a centre butt, as the leaves mature, they gradually spread out horizontally. 

The leaves are dark green, 1:0- 2,0 meter long, 10 20 cm wide at the base and 12-20 cm wide at the widest part  The sisal leaves gradually tapered to a sharp point. The fibres placed longitudinally in the leaves and are most abúndant hear the leaf surface 

CULTIVATION

Planting is done at the beginning of the rainy season. As the plants are become larger, harvesting is done by cutting the outer leaves. The fibre is removed by scrapping away the pulp material by a process, known as decortications'.

In the decortications process, the leaves are-fed through sets of fluted crushing rollers. The crushed leaves are held firmly at their centers and both ends passed between pairs of metal' drums, mounted with blades. 

The blades help to remove the pulp by scrapping. In a similar manner, centers are scrapped: The fibre strands are washed and dried by air or by any other means.

PROPERTIES AND USE

The fiber is coarse and strong. So it is used for making ropes, sail cloth, sacks and carpets. Sisal rope is. Extensively used in ship building industry, marine vessels and steamers as it is resistant to saline waters. It’s also used as a composite for floor coverings.

Ramie

Ramie is another bast fibre, obtained from the bark of the plant Boehmeira nivea .The plant is a native of China, for which it is known as China grasses. 

This plant is also grown in India, Australia, America, Farmosa Japan, Brazil and Phillipines The plant requires a tropical climate, where winter temperature should be above freezing. 

The plant grows to a height of 1.0 to 3.0 meter with 'a diameter of approximately 8-20 mm thick) 

CULTIVATION

Ramie is a perennial fibre, with a yield from two to five crops of fibre harvesting, when the lower part of the stalk funs light 'yellowish brown and the lower leaves matured by turning yellow and detachable. Harvesting is done by cutting the stalks.


PROPERTIES AND USES,

The ramie fibre is oval like in cross-section with thick cell walls with a fine lumen. It is the longest of all the vegetable fibres. Wet strength of the fibre is high and also the fibre dries rapidly. 

In general, the fibre is strong stiff with silky luster. The fibre is used for sail cloth, ropes, fish nets, upholstery fabrics and paper-making.

Hemp fibre

HEMP

It is another bast  fibre, which produces soft, flax like fibre.  The obtained from the stalk of the hemp plant 'Cannabis Sativa', which is grown extensively in India, China, ex-USSR, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Italy and France. The plant is usually 2-3 meter high and 1.5 mc thick.

 CULTIVATION

A moderately rich, friable, well drained sandy loam is the preferred soil. Adequate moisture with 60 mm to 75 mm rainfall per month during the growth of the plant is required. Seed is sown in rows with a space of about 12-15 cm between rows and 8-10 cm between plants.

Stalks are ready for harvesting, when the lower leaves just begin to turn yellow. The duration for sowing to harvesting is about 100 to 120 days. As usual, cutting is done at the particular time, when it is judged that the best quality of the fibre will result.

PROPERTIES AND USES

The properties of hemp fibre is similar like that of other bast fibres.  ropes, şail ând tent cloth, household clothing’s, threads, industrial and marine This fibre is regarded as a substitute for flax in yarn and twine.

Flax fibre

FLAX

Flax is a bast fibre found in the stem of the plant 'Linium usitatissium' The plant is cultivated in cold and humid condition So the plantation is centered in cold countries. The major source of supply of flax is from old U.S.S.R. The other countries which have flax growing areas are North Ireland, Egypt, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, France, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand

CULTIVATION

Like jute, flax is an annual plant .The plant from which the fibre extracts grows in moist and cold condition. The plant grows up to 170 cm in height and 1.5 of cm dia. The tree is matured by changing its color from green to yellow. After maturity, it is harvested for the extraction of the fibre Haryesting may be done when

 (i) Flowering is almost over and the stalk is green, 

 (ii) the fruit has set, or

 (iii) The seed pods have ripened and the stalk is yellowish brown. Initial harvesting gives poor yield with soft fibre.

Late harvesting gives a coarse fibre with higher yield. So harvesting will be better when the seed pods have ripened.

 After harvesting, the plants are allowed to lie in open field for a week or so when all the leaves and branches come out of the tree. Then the plants are bundle up and carried over to a place where they are hackled this is an operation, in which the plants are continuously beaten' against a rows of vertical iron spikes to remove the impurities like leaves and śmall branches. 

PROPERTIES

Linen fibre is the strongest fibre available from natural origin. This is due to presence of higher crystalline regions like 80; 90 %. The average length of the fibre varies from 90 cm to 125 cm having an average diameter of 14 to 25 microns. The fibres are round to polygonal with a small lumen. Tensile strength of the fibre varies from 6.5 gm/den to 8.0 gm/den. The density is 1.50 gm / cc . The moisture regain is 12 % . Due to high crystalline areas, the fibre strength is not sensitive to moisture i.e., the wet strength and dry strength is same.

These fibres are resistant to micro-organisms like fungus, alkalis like sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate at boil. The fibre is resistant to dilute acids at cold and organic acids. However, hydrocellulose is formed due to the hydrolysis action of dilute acids at boiling conditions or strong concentrated mineral acids. Oxycellulose is generally formed by the action of oxidizing agents.

Use

These fibres are used for household clothing, fabrics, lace, shirt, canvas, threads, twines, papermaking and certain industrial-applications like fire hoses.

Jute fibre

JUTE

Jute occupies second place, next to cotton in the world's production of natural fibres. India and Bangladesh both have monopoly in jute industry as more than 85 % of the worlds Jute fibres are grown here.

Jute is also grown in Burma, Farmosa, China, Brazil and Nepal. India is the world's major exporter in jute clothes and materials.

Jute is obtained from the stems of two. plants grown mainly in the Indian subcontinent. The botanical name of the plants from which jute is obtained are Corchonus capsularis and Corchorus olitorius. In general appearance, both the plants are similar, haying long straight stems of about 2.5 cm in circumference.

The differences between the two species is in their fruits, heights.

C. capsularis yields 'white' jute whereas

C. olitorius yields Tossa and '

CULTIVATION

Low-lying, slightly acidic, alluvial soils in river complexes are particularly suited to jute growing, specially when these solids are flooded each year. After flooding, a deposit of silt is left on them, when the flood-waters recede.

These soils are slightly acidic in nature, which is helpful for the growth of the plant. The rainfall should be average 80 mm to 100 mm during the growth of the plant , 65 % t 90 % humidity and 25 ° C to 40 ° C is most beneficial to the crop. The cultivation areas suited for this atmosphere in India are West Bengal, Orissa, Assam and Bihar.

C.Capsularis is sown early in the month of February and March and C. Olitorius in April and May. Within two or three days, the seeds

PROPERTIES

Jute is The smallest unit of the commercial raw jute is known as 'reed. The length of se reeds varies from 1 meter to 4.5 meter, depending upon the grade. The denier varies from 6 to 50, but the average is around 18-20 denier. The diameter is usually 6-20 microns:

The fibres are polygonal in cross-section with a wide lumen. Jute is hygroscopic. At standard conditions, the regain is 13% The tensile strength of the fibres are 5-8 gm/den. The density of the fibre is 1.48 gm/cc.

Jute, like other cellulosic fibres, is not affected by heat. Prolonged heating only degrades the fibre.  Because of degradation, the colour changes from light brown to deep brown and then to black. Jute fibre undergoes tendering with the colour changes from yellow to brown or deep brown on exposure to light

Jute fibre is acidic in nature, and the pH of the aqueous extract various between 5.5 to 6.2 pH. So at ordinary or cold conditions, organic acids like oxalic acid or formic acid, mineral acids like sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid in dilute solutions have no action on jute fibre. Dilute acids brighten the fibre to some extent. With strong acids at boiling conditions, hydrocellulose is formed, which leads te higher loss in strength Dilute solution of alkalis has little effect on jute fibres but concentrated alkalis bring about profound swelling and loss in strength

Ordinary oxidizing agents have no action on jute. Only strong oxidizing agents will form oxycellulose. Reducing agents exert little influence on the fibre. Similarly, jute fiber has resistance to micro-organisms at ordinary conditions.

USES 

Jute is used for hessian, sacking, backing for rugs, webbing, carpets wall coverings, thread yarns, canvas, matting, hammocks and belting Nowadays, jute fibres are specially processed for clothing.

Kapok fibre

KAPOK

Kapok is silky fibre obtained from the pod of kapok tree. The botanical name of is ceiba Pentranda of the family Boombacaceae. This tree is grown principally in Java, Africa, Netherlands, and South-east Asia, where the soil and hot climatic conditions are specially suited for its growth.

This tree grows to a height of 35 meters. The pods are oblong in shape, form 10 to 15cm in length and 2 to 4 cm in diameter. The fibres are contained in the outer shell, loosely surrounding the seeds and entirely free from the cell. When the pod ripe, the fibres come out from the pod after opening. Sunshine and air cause the pods to open out.

The fibre  are being separated by hand, of by l methods and' further cleaned by air separation method. The unripe unmatured pods should be eliminated. Around 20,000 to 25,000 pods are required to produce 100 kilogram of fibre. After collection, the fibres can be pressed into bales and transported for further processing.

PROPERTIES AND USES

The fibre is exceedingly light with a circular cross-section, thin walls 0 and a wide lumen. Kapok fibres are moisture resistant, resilient, soft and brittle. This fibre is not suitable for spinning but it is very much suitable for stuffing.

So this fibre is mostly used in jackets, sleeping bags, insulating materials and upholstery