Studies on the characteristic features of Abutilon indicum fibre with chemical treatments for the potential application in cement composites

The use of synthetic fibres leads to an increased environmental concern that promotes the usage of natural fibres as a sustainable alternative for reinforcement in composites. In this context, studies on the extraction and characterization of plant fibre from the stem of Abutilon indicum were carried out with the aim of exploring its potential use in cement composites. In the present study, the optimum dosage of chemical treatments in Abutilon indicum fibre was obtained based on mechanical properties by treating with different concentrations of NaOH and KMnO₄. The results concluded that Abutilon indicum fibre treated with 1% NaOH concentration was considered as optimally chemically treated fibre due to its enhanced tensile properties. The treated fibre exhibited increased cellulose content (73.59%) with reduced hemicellulose and wax levels. The FTIR analysis confirmed the partial removal of non-cellulosic materials, and also, a notable enhancement in crystallinity index (from 74 to 77%) and thermal degradation temperature (from 335 to 347 °C) after treatment were observed. Thus, this characterization study showed significant improvement in the fibre properties for developing high-performance composites.