CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC FIBERS .1. FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES AND GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLONITRILE ONTO PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBERS - THEIR CHARACTERIZATION AND BEHAVIOR
Rk. Samal et Bl. Bhuyan, CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC FIBERS .1. FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES AND GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLONITRILE ONTO PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBERS - THEIR CHARACTERIZATION AND BEHAVIOR, Journal of applied polymer science, 52(12), 1994, pp. 1675-1685
This paper is an attempt to examine the commercial significance of an
agro-waste ''pineapple leaf fiber'' (PALF). The quality enhancement of
PALF has been tried through chemical modifications. Functionality cha
nges in the above fiber have been done through mercerization, cyanoeth
ylation, oxidation, and graftcopolymerization with acrylonitrile, usin
g ceric ion as an initiator at varying concentrations of monomer, init
iator, and mineral acid at a number of temperatures for various time i
ntervals. The modified fibers have been characterized by FTIR spectros
copy and viscosity measurements. The extent of moisture regain, acid-a
lkali solubility, tensile modulus, dye-uptake ability, and thermal sta
bility of the resulting materials have been tested and compared with t
he parent fiber. The significance of such chemical modification in the
context of better textile performance and reinforcing behavior of the
product in FRP has been discussed. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.