The improvement of the tensile properties of alfa fibers using the Taguchi method

Alfa fibers, originating from the alfa plant (Stipa tenacissima), a type of grass within the Poaceae family, are natural materials, Extracted from the plant's stems. These fibers find extensive application across diverse sectors such as composites materials, construction, and automotive industry. Alfa fibers are valued for their mechanical characteristics, including strength and lightweight properties, as well as their affordability and environmentally friendly attributes due to their natural sourcing. These fibers are commonly incorporated into composite materials to bolster structural integrity and enhance performance, especially in terms of tensile strength, rigidity, and longevity. Consequently, alfa fibers significantly contribute to the advancement of innovative and ecoconscious materials. This study is dedicated to optimizing the mechanical properties of Alfa fibers through the implementation of the Taguchi method (L9), which considers three key factors, each associated with three variables: gauge length (20 mm, 40 mm, 60 mm), concentration of NaOH treatment (0.5 %, 2 %, 5 %), and treatment duration (48 h, 24 h, 12 h). Results obtained from tensile stress, Young's modulus, and strain assessments show a range between 461.55 MPa to 862.62 MPa, 9.494 GPa to 27.311 GPa, and 1.69-5.658 %, respectively. Optimal properties were observed with a gauge length of 60 mm, 5 % NaOH concentration, and 24 hours of treatment time. Moreover, this document includes an analysis of the fibers using FTIR spectroscopy and UV-visible spectrometer to evaluate treatment effectiveness, indicating that an increase in NaOH concentration enhances fiber purity.