Fibers and Fiber Yielding Plants PDF

Chapter 2 Fibers and Fiber Yielding Plants  I. Classifications of Fibers II. Cotton III. Flax Overview IV. Hemp V. Jute VI. Sann or Sunn Hemp  VII. Ramie, Rhea, or China Grass VIII. Abaca, Manila Hemp...

Chapter 2 Fibers and Fiber Yielding Plants  I. Classifications of Fibers II. Cotton III. Flax Overview IV. Hemp V. Jute VI. Sann or Sunn Hemp  VII. Ramie, Rhea, or China Grass VIII. Abaca, Manila Hemp IX. Sisal Overview X. Coconut XI. Kapok Classifications of Fibers Classifications of Fibers  Classifications of Fibers CLASSIFICATION OF FIBRES ACCORDING TO THEIR USE Depending upon the use to which they are put, fibres are frequently classified into the following six categories: 1. Textile fibers 2. Brush fibers 3. Plaiting and rough weaving fibres 4. natural fibres 5. paper-making fibres.  Classifications of Fibers Textile fibers All fibres used for the manufacture of fabrics, netting and cordage They are mainly produced from hemp, jute and cotton, but sometimes flax and hard fibres are also used.  Classifications of Fibers Brush fibres A number of miscellaneous materials such as twigs, leaves and bark are used for making brushes and brooms. sisal (hard fibres), piassava (surface fibres of palm leaves and stems), broomcorn (the dense bristly inflorescence of Sorghum vulgare var. technicum (Koern.) Fiori and Paoli). strong, stiff and elastic fibres (piassava); palm  Classifications of Fibers Plaiting and rough weaving fibres Fibres that are more elastic flat strands or strips (plaits) Panama hats are made by weaving or braiding strips of the palm-like leaf of Carludovica palmata  Classifications of Fibers Filling fibres Used in upholstery, for stuffing cushions, mattresses, and life preserves For caulking the seams in vessels, casks and barrels and for reinforcement and wallboard insulation chief stuffing or filling fibres are kapok, cotton, jute, Spanish moss, several hard fibres and innumerable grasses being challenged by synthetics such as foam, rubber, urethane plastics and nylon bristles (even shredded wood serves the same purpose).  Classifications of Fibers Natural fibres Tree basts with tough interlacing fibres are extracted from the bark in layers and sheets, which after pounding, yield rough clothing “Tapa cloth” from the bark of paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent.  Classifications of Fibers Paper-making fibres wood fibres, textile fibres and various grasses and sedges (such as esparto and Cyperus) are much used.  Cotton Gossypium spp. Family: Malvaceae The production of cotton is greater than that of all other fibres put together. One of the first vegetable fibers used for textile purposes  Cotton History  Cotton History  Cotton History Cotton  Cotton History  Cotton  Cotton MORPHOLOGY  Cotton MORPHOLOGY Long staple fibers The staple length is 1 to 2.5 inches (about 2.5 cm to 6.5 cm), having a fine texture and good lustre. includes high-quality fibres such as Sea-Island, Egyptian and American Egyptian (Pima). least common and the most difficult to cultivate. Long-staple cottons fetch a much higher price in the trade and are used mainly for fine fabric, yarn and hosiery items.  Cotton MORPHOLOGY The Standard medium or Intermediate Staple Cottons staple length is 0.5 to about 2 inches (about 1.3 cm to 5.0 cm) and somewhat coarser includes American upland cotton that has considerably higher yield than the long- staple cotton but brings a lower price  Cotton MORPHOLOGY Short-staple Fibers about 0.37-0.75 inches (9.5- 19 mm) in length short, coarse and lusterless fibers. used to make coarse and inexpensive fabric, carpets and blankets.  Cotton HARVESTING PROCESSING  Cotton PROCESSING  Cotton PROCESSING  Cotton COTTON UTILISATION  Flax History  Flax History of Flax Use  Flax PRODUCTION Temperate parts of Europe France (52 400 t), Belarus (51 615 t) and Russia (46 054 t) were the leading producers, accounting for a little over 60 per cent of the total output.  Flax MORPHOLOGY  Flax CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS Fibre flax is essentially a crop of temperate climate free from heavy rains and frosts For successful cultivation, the crop demands a well-drained loam or a clay loam with pH between 5 and 7, plenty of moisture, cool and humid weather during the growing season and an abundance of potassium and phosphorus.  Flax HARVESTING  Flax HARVESTING  Flax PROCESSING  Flax FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS  Hemp HISTORY AND ORIGIN Cannabis sativa L. Family: Cannabinaceae  Hemp HISTORY AND ORIGIN  Hemp HISTORY AND ORIGIN  Hemp PRODUCTION Hemp grows in nearly all temperate regions. Worldwide, more than 30 nations grow industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity China is followed by North Korea (14 000 t), the Netherlands (6 100 t), Chile (4,385 t), Austria (3 139 t) and Romania (3000 t).  Hemp MORPHOLOGY  Hemp CULTIVATION  Hemp HARVESTING AND PROCESSING  Hemp FIBRE LOCATION AND CHARACTERISTICS  Jute Corchorus spp. Family: Tiliaceae HISTORY AND ORIGIN  Jute PRODUCTION Gangetic Deltas of India- about 97% of the world’s jute production (West Bengal) Bangladesh, accounting for about 1.9 and 1.4 million tons, respectively.  Jute MORPHOLOGY  Jute CULTURAL PRACTICES primarily a rainy season crop, thriving best on warm, humid and rich loamy or alluvial soils where annual rainfall ranges from 150- 250 cm Cant withstand waterlogging in the early stages of growth. the seeds are sown close together so as to produce unbranched stalks. Weeds are hand-hoed. The plant matures within three to five months.  Jute HARVESTING  Jute Corchorus spp. Family: Tiliaceae HISTORY AND ORIGIN  Jute PRODUCTION Gangetic Deltas of India- about 97% of the world’s jute production (West Bengal) Bangladesh, accounting for about 1.9 and 1.4 million tons, respectively.  Jute MORPHOLOGY  Jute CULTURAL PRACTICES primarily a rainy season crop, thriving best on warm, humid and rich loamy or alluvial soils where annual rainfall ranges from 150- 250 cm Cant withstand waterlogging in the early stages of growth. the seeds are sown close together so as to produce unbranched stalks. Weeds are hand-hoed. The plant matures within three to five months.  Jute HARVESTING  Jute PROCESSING  Jute LOCATION OF FIBRES  Jute FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS The strands of jute fibre range from 1.83 to 3.05 m in length, are pale yellow or yellowish white in colour and possess a silk-like lustre. weaker than hemp and flax, perishable and tend to deteriorate when exposed to dampness. take dye quite well, but jute is difficult to bleach.  Jute JUTE SUBSTITUTES kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) and roselle (H. sabdariffa L.) of the family Malvaceae  Sann or Sunn Hemp Crotalaria juncea L. Family: Fabaceae Sunn hemp, an Asiatic species, is second in importance to jute as a source of bast fibre in India where it has been grown since prehistoric times. The genus name Crotalaria means “rattle” and refers to the sound made by the seeds shaken in the ripe pods  Sann or Sunn Hemp MORPHOLOGY AND VARIETIES Sunn hemp is a tall, erect-growing annual, about 1-3 m in height with a strong tap root system that penetrates into the soil. All the vegetative parts of the plant are covered with short downy hairs. The leaves are small, lanceolate, subsessile (5-7.5 cm long) and alternately placed. Flowers are small, bright yellow, borne in the axillary racemes  Sann or Sunn Hemp CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS The crop thrives best in tropical and subtropical climates. For fibre production, the crop is sown thickly on a well-prepared soil. No further cultural practices are needed after sowing.  Sann or Sunn Hemp LOCATION AND CHARACTERISTICS like jute, sunn hemp is also a bast fibre Fibre strands are 1.2 to 1.5 m long, lustrous and fairly resistant to microorganisms and moisture. The individual fibre cells are cylindrical with surface striations and cross markings, the cell ends are irregularly thickened, blunted and without a lumen Sunn hemp is essentially a cordage fibre and is used in the manufacture of ropes, twines, cords and marine cordage.  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud. Family: Urticaceae Native of China, Japan, and the Malayan peninsula years and was probably used by the ancient Egyptians for wrapping mummies one of the oldest textile fibres, is obtained from white ramie or China grass (Boehmeria nivea) and rhea or green ramie (B. nivea var. tenacissima). extraction process involves many difficulties  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass MORPHOLOGY AND VARIETIES consists of a number of tall, slender stems (0.9-2.44 m), originating from a perennial rootstock. Leaves are simple, alternate, long- petioled, and to some extent heart- shaped with serrate edges. completely lack the stinging hairs, a characteristic of the family Urticaceae  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS requires a well-drained sandy loam with a high nutrient content, a steady high temperature, a humid atmosphere and a well-distributed rainfall of not less than 112 cm annually. after each harvest, needs heavy fertilization to keep up the formation of successive shoots  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS requires a well-drained sandy loam with a high nutrient content, a steady high temperature, a humid atmosphere and a well-distributed rainfall of not less than 112 cm annually. after each harvest, needs heavy fertilisation to keep up the formation of successive shoots  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass HARVESTING It is important to harvest the crop at the right time the crop is harvested when the stems are beginning to turn brown and the inflorescence is just emerging. stalks are usually cut close to the ground with a hand sickle.  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass PROCESSING The fibres are contained in the secondary phloem, heavily coated with a gummy substance that makes the fibre extraction process quite difficult. These strips are known as ribbons Outer thin skin of the bark is peeled off, leaving behind the green pulp and the tenaciously clinging fibres.  Ramie, Rhea or China Grass FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS toughest, longest, strongest and most durable vegetable fibre known to mankind. has a tensile strength about eight times that of cotton, seven times that of silk, four times that of flax and three times that of hemp. In China, the fibre is spun and the cloth is known as “grass cloth” or “Chinese linen”  Abacá, Manila Hemp Musa textilis Family: Musaceae The strongest of all the structural fibers Light, resilient, durable,  Abacá, Manila Hemp HISTORY AND ORIGIN Native to the Philippine islands, been used as a source of fiber for centuries by the inhabitants but it became a fibre of commercial importance relatively recently. The leading agricultural enterprise of the Philippines from 1901 to 1905 Originally, the fibre was produced from the wild plants, but the ever increasing demand in the world market led to the establishment of vast plantation in the Philippines Manila hemp derives its name from the port of Manila from where it was shipped to England in 1818  Abacá, Manila Hemp PRODUCTION Philippines is the major producer, accounting for 68 612 t with a share of around 65 per cent of the total output. Ecuador is the only other competitor, producing 35 394 t (having about 34 percent share) The imports going mainly to Europe  Abacá, Manila Hemp MORPHOLOGY Closely resembles a fruiting banana stalks are usually more slender with narrower, lighter, often spotted and more pointed leaves The fruits are quite small and inedible, having numerous large black seeds.  Abacá, Manila Hemp HARVESTING Ready for harvesting after 2 and a half years of planting The fibres from the outer sheaths of the pseudostem are dark coloured, coarser and stronger, while those from the innermost sheaths are shorter, whiter and weaker.  Abacá, Manila Hemp PROCESSING In order to obtain the best grade of fibre, the stripping of the fibrous tissue should be completed within 48 hours of cutting tuxying operation is usually done in the field by inserting a knife between the outer and middle layer of the leaf sheath, thus freeing an end of the outer layer 2.5-7.5 cm wide. Stripping must be done immediately after tuxying otherwise the pulp will harden and the fibres can never be properly cleaned. Hand stripping consists of drawing the ribbons between a block of wood and a knife with a serrated edge to remove most of the pulp and extraneous matter.  Abacá, Manila Hemp PROCESSING The fibres may also be stripped from the tuxies by a small spindle machine known as the Hagotan. The fiber obtained is 2-3 percent of the weight of the stalk.  Abacá, Manila Hemp FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS Fibre strands are 1.83-3.66 m in length, lustrous and often have a series of thick strongly silicified stegmata. Contains 62% cellulose, 19.6 % hemicellulose, and 5.6 % lignin  Sisal Agave sisalana Family: Agavaceae Of all the species cultivated for fibres, true sisal (A. sisalana Perrine) is by far the most important chief source of structural fibres  Sisal HISTORY AND ORIGIN True sisal, a native of Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico derives its name from the small port of Sisal from where it was first shipped for export.  Sisal MORPHOLOGY  Sisal HARVESTING Leaves are cut at the base by hand with a machete the extraneous green pulpy tissue and the other cementing substances were removed by hand or mechanically by “raspadors” The process involve beating, scraping, and finally washing the product  Sisal FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS Fibre strands, simply known as fibre, are rather coarse, nearly white or pale yellow in colour, about 0.9-1.52 m long Sisal fibre has a high percentage of cellulose (72 per cent) and a relatively high proportion of lignin (14.5%)  Coconut Cocos nucifera L. Family: Arecaceae  Coconut MORPHOLOGY  Coconut PRODUCTION  Coconut HARVESTING AND PROCESSING  Coconut FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS Coconut fibre strands are up to 0.3 m in length, the surface of the fibre bundle being occasionally covered with small lens-shaped silicified stegmata, about 15μ in diameter  Coconut FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS Coconut fibre strands are up to 0.3 m in length, the surface of the fibre bundle being occasionally covered with small lens-shaped silicified stegmata, about 15μ in diameter fibre has a natural resilience, durability and resistance to water and, therefore, is useful for the manufacture of cordage, particularly marine cables and hawsers for ships and sailing craft  Kapok Ceiba pentandra (L.) Bombax pentandrum L. Eriodendron anfractuosum DC. Family: Bombacaceae derived from the inner wall of the fruit of the kapok tree (sometimes known as the silk cotton tree) and not from the testa of the seed as in the case of cotton. for stuffing mattresses, pillows, cushions and other upholstery articles.  Kapok HISTORY AND ORIGIN a native of tropical America where the tree was not exploited until recently Cultivation has now spread throughout the tropics of both old and new worlds  Kapok MORPHOLOGY Kapok is a tall, deciduous tree of the tropical evergreen forests (10-13 m in height) bearing short, sharp prickles all along the trunk and branches, and is supported by pronounced buttresses at the base. The trees are leafless when fruits are ripe  Kapok MORPHOLOGY  Kapok HARVESTING AND PROCESSING The fruits are clipped by hand when their colour changes to brown and the surface becomes wrinkled. The mature pod contains approximately 44% husk, 32% seeds, 17% floss, and 7% placental material and pedicel.  Kapok FIBRE CHARACTERISTICS fibre consists of a single cell with a bulbous base. Individual fibres are (0.8 to 3.0 cm) long, thin walled with a wide air-filled lumen. the fibres cannot be spun into a yarn. However, a chemical process to roughen the surface of the hairs has been now devised. The modified fibres, mixed with other fibres, can be spun readily Kapok fibres have a cellulose content of about 64 per cent and a lignin content of about 13 per cent.  Kapok KAPOK SUBSTITUTES red silk cotton or simal (Bombax ceiba L.) pochote, Ceiba aesculifolia White silk cotton (Cochlospermum religiosum) Madar (Calotropis gigantea) Akund, (Ceiba procera) Cattail (Typha latifolia)  Kapok KAPOK SUBSTITUTES Thank you for listening.