Study of Acid Treatment Conditions on the Water and Moisture Absorbency of Coconut Coir

Abstract

The influence of chemical treatment on the properties of lignocellulosic fibers has been reported in many studies. This work analyzes the effect of acid treatment on the water and moisture absorbency of coconut coir. Multiple acidic treatment conditions have been considered for coconut coir via Design of Experimental (DOE) software to optimize its treatment and ensure maximum water and moisture absorbency. The compositional and structural changes of the treated samples were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The optimized acidic condition led to a treated coconut coir with only an 8% increment of water absorption, and a ~13% decrease of moisture absorption. Based on the results, acidic treatment is unsuitable for increasing coconut coir’s water and moisture absorbency.