Short jute fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were prepared using a single screw extrusion moulding. Jute fiber content in the composites is optimized with the extent of mechanical properties, and composites with 20% jute show higher mechanical properties. Dissimilar concentrations of several fire retardants (FRs), such as magnesium oxide (MO), aluminum oxide (AO), and phosphoric acid (PA), were used in the composites. The addition of MO, AO, and PA improved the fire retardancy properties (ignition time, flame height, and total firing time) of the composites. Ignition time for 30% MO, flame height for 30% PA, and total firing time for 20% MO content composites showed good results which were 8 sec, 1 inch, and 268 sec, respectively. Mechanical properties (tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus, and elongation at break), degradation properties (soil test, weathering test, and percentage of weight loss), and water uptake were studied.

This research studied the physicomechanical as well as morphological properties of alkali treated (NaOH and KMnO4) and untreated banana bark fiber (BBF) reinforced polypropylene composites. A detailed structural and morphological characterization was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mechanical properties testing (tensile strength, flexural strength, and microhardness). Chemical treatments improved the hydrophobic property of the fiber and it is found to be better for KMnO4treatment. Composites with 0, 5, 10, and 15 wt.% loadings were then compared for water uptake studies and revealed that KMnO4treated fiber composites absorb less water compared to others. KMnO4treatment with 15% fiber loading improved the tensile strength, flexural strength, and microhardness of the composites compared to raw and NaOH treated fiber loadings. TGA analysis also shows onset temperature at 400~500°C that is associated with the decomposition of the banana fibers constituents including lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses which suggests better thermomechanical stability. All of the values suggest that 15% KMnO4treated banana bark fiber (BBF)/PP composites were found to be better than those of the raw and NaOH treated ones.

Fiber length is one of the major fiber properties that influence yarn strength, evenness, product handle, product luster, and yarn hairiness. To assure yarn quality, fiber passes through a number of machinery during the spinning process, where it is subjected to various sorts of action that modifies the fiber length. As different process parameters are chosen based on fiber length, fiber length analysis throughout the spinning process will benefit in the adjustment of machine parameters to produce better quality yarn. This study will reveal the chronological change in average fiber length at different stages of the carded ring spinning process, as well as a correlation analysis of length change among different phases, using correlation and regression methods. For five distinct mixing samples, raw cotton, card mat, carded sliver, breaker drawn sliver, finisher drawn sliver, roving, and yarn (pneumafil) were examined at each stage from raw cotton to ring frame. Then, using USTER AFIS PRO, all of the samples were numerically evaluated and statistically analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016. A positive correlation between fiber length changes at several phases was observed in the experiment, with average fiber length increasing in carding, breaker drawing, finisher drawing, and simplex but decreasing in card mat and ring.