Utilization of Plantain Stem Fibre for Making Wrapping Materials
Chapter One
Aim and Objectives
The main aim of this research work was to examine the potential of plantain stem fibre to be an alternative raw material for paper production using the kraft process. The following are the objectives;
- Extraction of fibre from plantain stem
- Extraction of pulp from plantain stem fibre
- Production of paper of different densities using a particular pattern (Mold and Deckle)
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Banana has long been considered a food, fruit and fodder crop. In addition to this, now a day, it is also gaining importance as a source of fibres. India is the largest producer of banana in the world with an estimated annual output of 13.5 million tons, of which 80% is generated from six states, namely, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Annually about 1.5 million tons of dry banana fibres can be produced from the outer sheath of pseudostem. With the increasing demand for banana in both the Indian and International markets, the acreage and production are expected to increase in the coming years, thus generating more of the pseudostem biomass waste. Being a rich source of natural fibres, the pseudostem can be profitably utilized for numerous applications and preparation of various products. Thus in order to get acquainted with the earlier reported details of banana fibre production and utilization and blending possibilities, an extensive literature review was carried out. (Shodhganga., 2014)
Studies Related to Banana Fibres
This consists of studies related to banana fibres and its applications. Sinha (1973), studied the use of banana plant fibre as a substitute for Jute. Banana-plant fibre is strong, soft, and coarse and technique developed for processing the fibre on standard jute machinery is reported. In some trials the banana fibre were also blended with Mesta (cellulosic fibre). The banana fibre spinnability and weaving performance were invested, so that it can be used as a good substitute for jute in making of sacks and packaging materials. The yarn composed of entirely of banana fibre can replace jute on weft, sacking warp yarn and still maintain the standard cloth characteristic Banana. The study also affirmed that sacking fabrics woven with banana-fibre yarn as weft and with jute yarn in the other direction compiled with standard specifications and performed better than corresponding all-jute fabrics.
Calcutta (1974), Jute Technological Research Laboratories, (JTR Lab) carried out an experiment work, on rope making with banana plant fibre. It was concluded that banana fibre can replace certain percentage of Mesta, a cellulosic fibre in the composition of agricultural ropes. The Mesta or allied fibers thus saved could be more profitably be used for packaging textiles and other materials fibre yarn makes the cloth brighter, impart better dyeing properties and can also be bleached. This additional outlet for the products of banana plantations would benefit the farmer, but a prerequisite for economic use of banana fibre will be a steady bulk supply, initially at a somewhat lower price than that of the existing comparable fibres.
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials Used
Plantain stems
Knife
Large pot
Water
Spoon
Electric mixer
Window screen
Sawhorses
Ladle
Spatula
Erlenmeyer flask
Clothespins
Clothesline
Mold and deckle
Thermometer
Microwave oven
Plantain stem – This is the major raw material from which the fibre is extracted, and pulp is form. It is to be crushed into fine particles and oven dried to reduce water content present, it is gotten from a plantain plantation in Ugbomro Delta state.
Sodium hydroxide-This is one of the major component that makes up the maceration liquor i.e. the extraction solution
Thermometer-This apparatus was used in temperature measurement during the heating process
Erlenmeyer flask- This is a containing vessel which was used in holding chemicals
Microwave oven- This is an apparatus which was used in carrying out drying operations during the pulping and paper making processes
Distilled water- This is a solvent which was used in the washing out of residual chemicals in the pulp which might have adverse effects on the produced paper.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Plantain Fibre
The paper industry is mainly concern with cellulose and lignin contents. The cellulose is desired and lignin is undesired content. By comparing with other sources, plantain stem consists of very low content of lignin. The lignin content cementing the cellulose with each other and it causes the hardness of the stem. In paper industry it is important to separate lignin from cellulose, by using other traditional sources like wood required highly toxic chemicals for the separation of lignin from cellulose but in case of plantain stem there is a very low content of lignin present which can be easily removed and we don’t need to use toxic chemicals additives during processing. So in this way the paper making from plantain stem is environmental friendly.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSIONS
The study shows that Plantain stem which is currently wasted after harvesting fruits is good cellulosic source and contains very low content of lignin. This waste which also causes environmental pollution has chemical composition that shows that Plantain stems which wasted, is a good raw material for Pulp and paper making industry. The pulping of Plantain tree residue with NaOH requires minimum heating conditions. Thus the utilization of waste Plantain stem helps us to save our forest and decrease environmental pollution.
RECOMMENDATION
Production of plantain paper from Plantain Stem fibre yielded positive results. To further improve the study, the following is recommended
- Slice the plantain fibre into tinier pieces so that it is easy to be crushed in the
- Other chemicals can used in the kraft process to get a finer paper
- It is also Recommended that further study should be done on plantain and other plant fibre that have the potential of producing paper, in other to reduce the pressure on the wooden industry and the rate of deforestation .
REFERENCE
- Arun, N. (2000), Study of few properties-Banana fibre, Man-made textiles in India, Vol. 55 (2),
- Baruch, R. K., Sinha, P B., Mehra, P. (1997). Micro structural study of fibre extracted from wild banana plant by X-ray line broadening analysis, Indian Journal of fibre and Textile Research, Vol. 23, 76-80.
- Calcutta, (1974), Jute Technological research laboratories (JTRL), Rope making with Banana plant fibre.
- Charu, A. and Phadke, S. (1999). An experiment in using banana fibers in the weft and cotton and rayon as warp and their suitability, was unpublished dissertation, M.S University, Varodra. July.
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