Gautam Basu

Blending of Jute with Different Natural Fibres

ABSTRACT Cotton, jute, flax, ramie, hemp, sisal, manila hemp, wool, and silk are some of the major natural fibres, which are widely being used throughout the world. Apart from these, a large number of fibres grown in much smaller quantities in different parts of the world have local economic importance and are mostly consumed locally. Jute is the second most important natural fibre (after cotton) in terms of global consumption, is extensively used for the manufacture of flexible packaging fabrics besides its prospective use as carpet backing, decorative fabrics, and in some other fields of technical textiles. Various researchers have tried blending of jute with different fibres In order to achieve the best utilization of the positive attributes of jute fibre and to reduce its negative attributes as far as practicable. Some other reasons for blending of jute with other natural fibres are to impart fancy effect, reduce cost of end product, find out suitable admixture of natural origin to mitigate the gap between demand and supply of raw jute, and also to find out a suitable avenue for the lesser known fibres for which separate spinning system is not widely available/established. Natural fibres differ from one other in their inherent physical, mechanical, and surface properties. Therefore, it requires a vast knowledge of the properties of fibres together with a great skill on their processing technologies to select a set of machineries and machine parameters for processing of blends of natural fibres to achieve desired yarn quality at minimum cost. In the present paper, the works carried out by the different researchers to find out suitable processing techniques for blending jute with different natural fibres have been reviewed extensively.

Enzyme and silicone treatments on jute fibre. Part I: Effect on textile-related properties

Abstract The present study relates to broad-based assessment of softening of raw jute and selectively pretreated jute fibres under the action of mixed enzymes (cellulase, xylanase and pectinase) and a textile grade aminosilicone softener and to further assess how such selective treatments finally contribute in enhancing some textile-related properties. Application of 4% mixed enzyme on jute fibre at 55°C for 2 h at pH 4.8 offers much finer, softer, cleaner and brighter jute fibre with some lowering of bundle tenacity. However, pretreatment of jute fibre under combined oxidative action of 3% H2O2 and 0.75% K2S2O8 for 2 h at 30°C (pH 11) followed by subsequent treatment with 1% mixed enzyme offers a better balance of textile-related properties covering moisture regain, fineness, bundle tenacity, flexural rigidity, surface reflectance, whiteness index, yellowness index and brightness index. Treatments of jute fibre with 0.5–1% aminosilicone softener under a specified condition also make jute fibre much softer, smoother, brighter and cause noticable reduction in coefficient of friction without much change in bundle tenacity. However, keeping all textile-related properties in view, a preatment of conventional 3% H2O2 bleaching for 2 h at 85°C (pH 11) or an oxidative treatment under combined action of 3% H2O2 and 0.75% K2S2O8 for 2 h at 30°C (pH 11) prior to 1% aminosilicone treatment of jute fibre were found to be much useful for textile purpose.

Structural Features of Glycol and Acrylamide Treated Jute Fiber

ABSTRACT Changes in structural features of jute fiber subjected to (a) limited oxidation using K2S2O8 or NaIO4 and subsequently to (b) treatment with monomeric/oligomeric glycols or acrylamide under specified conditions have been investigated through X-ray defractometry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry in the present study. Changes in surface morphology due to specified chemical treatments have been analyzed by scanning electron microscopic study. Observed chemical changes as revealed from FTIR-study have been explained through proposed reaction mechanism. Oxidative pretreatments by both NaIO4 and K2S2O8 causes some damage in the fiber surface structure, reduction in crystallinity percentage and show less thermal stability with generation of more -CHO groups in oxy-jute state; the treatment being relatively milder for K2S2O8 pretreatment than NaIO4 pretreatment. However, when K2S2O8 pretreated oxy-jute is further treated with either 8% dosage of acrylamide or ethylene glycol or polyethylene glycol or 1:1 mixture of acrylamide and polyethylene glycol-1500, it renders measurable improvement in surface appearance and morphology of jute fibers, somewhat increased crystallinity in fine structure, less thermal stability for polyacrylamide grafted jute, and higher thermal stability for ethylene glycol modified jute. However, the treatment of K2S2O8 pretreated oxy-jute with 1:1 mixture of 4% acrylamide and 4% PEG-1500 renders a balanced improvement in all these structural features of jute fiber.

Study on Reuse of Coconut Fiber Chemical Retting Bath. Part 1: Retting Efficiency

ABSTRACT Coconut husk is commonly retted in back water to extract coconut fiber. This retting takes about 10 months to complete and also pollutes the environment. A work on captive chemical retting of coconut fiber has carried out with NaOH, Na2S, and Na2CO3. It is found that the residual retting liquor contains unreacted alkali, which is unutilized and might cause environmental issues, if not processed before disposal. An attempt has been made to estimate the residual alkali present in the residual waste liquor in order to reuse the retting bath by suitable addition of alkali. The physical parameters of the retted fibers were evaluated against raw fiber using standard methods. It is concluded that residual retting liquor could be used for further retting process by the addition of suitable quantity of chemicals.

Effect of Glycol and Acrylamide Treatments of Jute Fibre on its Processibility

ABSTRACT Changes in textile-related properties of jute fibre subjected to (a) controlled/limited oxidation using K2S2O8 and/or NaIO4 and subsequently to (b) treatment with monomeric/oligomeric glycols and with acrylamide under specified condition were studied and reported in our earlier communication. In the present part of the work, the process performances of the chemically modified jute fibres obtained from the above mentioned treatments were further studied to assess their process performance during yarn making, including spinnability and property performance of the resultant yarns. Studies on process performance for yarn making, including spinnability, indicate that the specified treatment with a mixture of 4% PEG 1500 and 4% acrylamide and also with 8% ethylene glycol on jute fibre presoaked with 0.5% K2S2O8 produced a better process performance, showing net advantages in respect of (1) improved energy efficiency and lower fibre droppage during carding, (2) trouble free spinning (zero to low-end breakage rate), (3) better yarn structure (showing enhanced packing fraction and lower structural irregularities), and (4) improved balance in important yarn properties viz, tenacity, initial modulus, flexural rigidity, quality ratio, work of rupture, and resistance to microbial attack.

Development of Apparels from Silk Waste and Pineapple Leaf Fiber

ABSTRACT The degummed mulberry silk waste and eri silk waste were blended with degummed and bleached pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) at fiber stage in different proportions, and spun into yarn in a jute spinning system. The 90-tex blended yarn thus developed was analyzed for different physico-mechanical properties. Properties of fabric developed in a traditional handloom using 2/40-s cotton as warp and blended yarn as weft were also analyzed. The quality parameters, viz., tensile property, crease recovery, fabric cover, stiffness, drape, and thickness of the developed fabric, met essential apparel requirements. A comparative subjective evaluation of the fabric quality, viz., aesthetic appearance, luster, and texture, was made with the help of a group of people from different age, educational, and occupational background to examine its marketability; all respondents felt that appearance of PALF with silk waste was excellent. Texture and luster were found to be from medium to moderate. About 95% of respondents felt that fabric was crispy.

Enzyme and silicone treatments on jute fibre. Part II: Effect on process performance during yarn making and yarn properties

Abstract Characterization of modified jute fibres treated with selective mixed enzyme and aminosilicone compound has been reported earlier. This part of the study relates to assessment of the effectiveness of such chemical (aminosilicone) and biochemical (mixture of cellulase, xylanase, and pectinase enzymes) modifications of raw jute fibres (with or without selective pretreatments using dilute NaOH, H2O2, and a combination of H2O2 and K2S2O8) on process performance during yarn making and property parameters of such yarns. Usually, jute fibres are spun into yarns applying 1.5% to 3% mineral oil-in-water emulsion prior to carding. 0.5% aminosilicone treatment of jute fibres under specified condition makes them suitable for yarn making without the use of mineral oil, and produces a softer yarn having substantially lower yarn mass irregularity and yarn imperfection values, though with some lowering in tenacity values. Some advantages accrued in regard to process performance (energy efficiency and less fibre droppage during carding) during yarn making for 4% mixed-enzyme-treated jute fibres at 55°C for 2 h over raw and bleached jute fibres are outweighed by the increase of spinning end breakage rate, much lowering of yarn tenacity, and specific work of rupture. However, 1% mixed enzyme treatment of jute fibres shows some advantages in process performance associated with much lower extent of reduction in yarn tenacity and specific work of rupture with acceptable end breakage rate during spinning, rendering an overall gain from this treatment.

Potentiality of Indian pineapple leaf fiber for apparels

ABSTRACT The use of textile-grade fiber extracted from the Indian pineapple leaf is an unexplored area. Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) is fine, soft, and moderately strong and is much acceptable for fashion garment. An attempt has been made to extract and soften Indian PALF from the pineapple leaves by decortication and subsequent water retting. Decorticated cum retted fiber has shown better physicomechanical and surface appearance properties than decorticated fiber. Fine yarn (38 tex) was spun in a suitable spinning system, and the property performance was found to be suitable to make eco-sustainable novelty fabric. Fabric was developed by using cotton as warp yarn and PALF-based yarn as weft in a handloom. The developed fabric shows very good physical and mechanical properties, desired for apparels. This inferred that Indian PALF may be successfully used to make eco-niche apparel quality fabric as well as novelty textiles.

Appropriate bleaching technique for coconut fiber

ABSTRACT Recipes for bleaching of coconut fiber at both ambient and elevated temperature were investigated using appropriate statistical design of experiments using hydrogen peroxide with essential bleaching assisting auxiliaries. The statistical tool is also being utilized to suggest optimized recipe for the treatments considering mainly whiteness index, yellowness index, and tenacity. Statistical computation affirmed need of higher amount of bleaching chemicals in elevated temperature than ambient bleaching. Both the bleaching treatments were resulting in small mass loss essentially of noncellulosic nature including lignin and thus result in improved mechanical properties. The change in whiteness and yellowness index of the bleached fiber under the shed storage condition for duration of 2 years was found to be negligible.

Study on Reuse of Coconut Fiber Chemical Retting Bath. Part II---Recovery and Characterization of Lignin

ABSTRACT Study aimed at recovery of lignin from the reused residual liquor of chemical retting bath of coconut fiber caused by partial delignification to make it soft. The lignin of 8.9% was obtained after recovery (maintaining pH 2.0 for 1 h at ambient temperature) and further purification. Extracted lignin is characterized through FTIR, TGA and particle size analysis. FTIR showed absence of polysaccharides in purified lignin. TGA indicates presence of higher methyl-aryl ether groups than aromatic groups in lignin of coconut fibre. Analysis reveals about 91% of particles in the rage of 1–500 µm, which shows its good dispersiblity in fluid. Recovery of lignin associated with two benefits i.e., diversified use of extracted pure lignin and reduction of organic load of the waste liquor to make it suitable for discharge.