CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC FIBERS .1. FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES AND GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZATION OF ACRYLONITRILE ONTO PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBERS - THEIR CHARACTERIZATION AND BEHAVIOR

This paper is an attempt to examine the commercial significance of an agro-waste ''pineapple leaf fiber'' (PALF). The quality enhancement of PALF has been tried through chemical modifications. Functionality changes in the above fiber have been done through mercerization, cyanoethylation, oxidation, and graftcopolymerization with acrylonitrile, using ceric ion as an initiator at varying concentrations of monomer, initiator, and mineral acid at a number of temperatures for various time intervals. The modified fibers have been characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. The extent of moisture regain, acid-alkali solubility, tensile modulus, dye-uptake ability, and thermal stability of the resulting materials have been tested and compared with the parent fiber. The significance of such chemical modification in the context of better textile performance and reinforcing behavior of the product in FRP has been discussed. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.