Influence of alkali treatment on the structure and properties of hemp fibers

Alkali treatment may change the structures and properties of cellulosic fibers. The aim of this work was to study the mechanism of structural changes of hemp fibers treated with different alkali concentrations and time by SEM, FTIR, tensile and bending tests. The results showed that the alkali treatment removed some of non-cellulosic materials from the surface of fibers and caused many cracks along the axis of fibers. The crystalline order index increased firstly followed by decreased with the increase of concentration. The deconvolution spectra in OH stretching region showed that the alkali treatment decreased the amount of hydrogen bonding firstly and then increased. The S/G ratio results also support the removal of non-cellulosic materials. The tensile strength of the fibers increased with the alkali concentration. Furthermore, the suitable chemical treatment not only slenderized the hemp fibers, but also softened the fibers dramatically.