Extraction and Characterization of Natural Fibers from <i>Citrullus lanatus</i> Climber
Anish Khan, R. Vijay, D. Lenin Singaravelu, Sanjay Mavinkere Rangappa, Suchart Siengchin, Mohammad Jawaid, Khalid A. Alamry, Abdullah M. Asiri
Abstract
The growing environmental awareness toward the replacement of non-biodegradable materials with biodegradable materials has led many researchers for looking at many bio-based materials to suit various applications. This study objective to evaluate the morphology and properties of fibers extracted from Citrullus lanatus climber. The physical-chemical, thermal, mechanical, crystalline, morphological characteristics of Citrullus lanatus climber fibers were examined by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), single fiber tension test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The test results showed cellulose content (53.7 wt. %), density (1227 kg/m3), crystallinity index (33.33%) which prove that Citrullus lanatus climber fibers can be used as reinforcement for light-weight medium load applications.