Abstract
Considering their biodegradability and capacity to provide environmentally friendly products that foster technological innovation and a variety of industrial applications, Natural Fibres (NF) are becoming more and more attractive to investigate because they are environmentally sustainable, making them increasingly popular in an era of heightened ecological awareness. Unlike synthetic fibres derived from petrochemicals, NF decomposes readily, minimizing environmental impact and contributing to a circular economy. In this study, NF obtained from the Bamboo fibres (BbF) was modified via a chemical treatment process. First, the NF were treated with ethanol (C₂H6O) for 60 minutes, followed by 0.05 % potassium permanganate (KmnO4) in an acetone solution, subjugated to different conditions in terms of treatment time of 1 minute, 2 minutes, and 3 minutes. The effect of this dual treatment process on the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of treated fibres was explored using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Mechanical strength, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)/Differential Thermogravimetric Analysis (DTG), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Test results show significant alterations in the fibre's structure as crystalline characteristics such as crystallite size, and crystallinity index were observed to have been altered after treatment, as revealed by the XRD scrutiny. The fluctuations in the intensity of treated fibres peaks indicate that the BbF was successfully modulated after treatment, as intensity fluctuations of FTIR peaks indicate that the BbF has been modified efficiently by this method. The partial elimination of wax, hemicellulose, and lignin was also verified by FTIR examination. Mechanical properties of treated fibres exhibited improved tensile strength (TS) after treatments of the fibres. SEM, morphology reveals physical alterations in the BbF surface, as increased uniform surface roughness was achieved at optimal treatment conditions. TGA/DTG analysis results demonstrated that the thermal stability of treated BbF makes them suitable for processing with polymers at low temperatures. This study has, therefore, demonstrated that at optimal treatment conditions, this dual-treated method has been effective in the improvement of the crystallography, thermal, and mechanical properties of BbF for the potential for usage as reinforcement in a variety of bio-composites for distinct industrial and advanced applications.