Exploration of Cymbopogon nardus root fibers characteristics for sustainable lightweight composite reinforcement applications

Abstract

The need for natural fibers has increased in recent years due to more environmental consequences, which led to the exploration of novel biofibers. This research deals with extracting and characterizing fiber extracted from Cymbopogon nardus roots. The C. nardus root fibers were obtained from the roots of the C. nardus plant by manually retting. The C. nardus root fibers were analyzed for physio-chemical, morphological, thermal, crystalline, and mechanical properties. The test results elucidated that the cellulose contents of C. nardus root fibers were 65.67%, and the density was 1192 kg/m³, which was less than synthetic ones to prove its lightweight behavior. The crystallinity index of C. nardus Root fibers was 59.16%, demonstrating the extracted fiber’s higher-order crystal nature. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy proved the various crystalline and amorphous contents in the C. nardus root fibers. Scanning Electron Microscope elucidated the multiple features of the C. nardus root fibers, demonstrating its suitability as reinforcement for the composite to suit versatile, lightweight, medium-load applications.