Physicochemical and tensile properties of alkaline-treated new natural cellulosic Gossypium arboreum fiber

This article describes the characterization of novel natural lignocellulosic bark fibers extracted from the stem of the Gossypium arboreum (cotton) plant. The G. arboreum stem fibers were treated with 5% (w/v) aqueous NaOH solution for different soaking times, and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was conducted to examine the chemical compounds of the raw and treated fibers. The cellulose content improved from 70.06 to 83.91% after the treatment. The X-ray diffraction results indicate that the crystalline index and size were enhanced. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed to study the thermal properties and found that the thermal stability was higher for the treated fibers. The tensile strength and modulus were increased for the alkaline-treated fibers compared to the untreated fibers.