International Journal of Advanced Chemical Science and Applications (IJACSA) _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Sabai Grass Fibre: An Insight into Thermal Stability, Chemical Constitution and Morphology 1Sanjay Sahu, 2AsimanandaKhandual & 3Lingaraj Behera 1Clearity Specialties LLP, Thane, Mumbai, India 2Fashion & Apparel Technology, College of Engineering & Technology (CET), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 3Dept. of Chemistry, North Orissa University, Baripada Email: [email protected] [Received: 20th Nov.2016; Revised:28th Nov.2016; century, natural fibres have been displaced in our Accepted:30th Nov.2016] clothing, house hold furnishings, industries and agriculture by man-made fibres with names like Abstract— Many natural materials and processes acrylic, nylon, polyester and polypropylene. The and the natural fibres are being explored to be added success of Synthetics is mainly due to cost and up in the main stream application as we are more customised applications. After World war II, the concerned today to ecology, sustainability, and building up of synthetic fibre significantly healthy social responsibility. Apart from eastern decreased the use of natural fibre. With continuous India, in regions of various asian countries, Sabai increase in petrochemical prices and environmental grass (Eulaliopsis binate), has a prominent role to considerations, there is a revival of natural fibre play. They have cellulose contents close to 45%; which is larger than sisal and palm and the uses in textile, building, plastics and automotive fundamental characteristic of this fiber is good industries. This interest is reinforced by the comparatively, and the lignin content is close to development of agro-industrial market and local 18.5%. Conventionally, the fundamental research on productions. this fibre and its processing route has not been developed completely as it is dominantly used to make I.1. Natural fibres and future (1) paper, conserve soil, fabricate hand knitting. In this investigation, we preferred the chemical constitution a) Responsible Choice:Natural fibres are of major of sabai grass with other natural cellulosic fibres, economic importance to many developing studied its morphology in scanning electron countries. It is vital to the livelihoods and food microscopy and analysed their thermal stability by simultaneous thermal Analyses for fundamental security of millions of small scale farmers and understanding. processors. By choosing natural fibres, we boost the sectors contribution to economic growth and help Index Terms— Eulaliopsis binate, sabai grass, rural fight hunger and rural poverty. fibres, DTA, TGA, STA b) Healthy choice: Natural fibres provide natural I. INTRODUCTION ventilation. Cotton is felt comfortable on a hot day. Wool acts as insulators against both cold and heat. Textiles have been a fundamental part of human life Coconut fibres have natural resistance to fungus and since the dawn of civilisation. Natural fibres are mites. Hemp fibre has antibacterial property and greatly elongated substances produced by plants linen is the most hygienic textile for hospital bed and animals and have been available to society since sheets. antiquity. The natural fibres form fabrics, ropes and twines that have been fundamental to the society. c) Sustainable choice: The green concept is based Relentless completion from synthetics and current on energy efficiency, renewable feed stocks in global economic down turn impact the livelihoods polymer products, reduction in carbon emissions of millions of people who depend on natural fibre and recyclable materials. Natural fibres are not only production and processing. Over the past half _______________________________________________________________________________________________ ISSN (Print):2347-7601, ISSN (Online): 2347-761X, Vol-4, Iss-4, 2016 1 International Journal of Advanced Chemical Science and Applications (IJACSA) _______________________________________________________________________________________________ important to producers and industry, but also to of goods such as ropes, mats, carpets, sofa sets, wall consumers and environment. hangings and other sophisticated fashionable articles. Being a renewable, sustainable fibre, this d) High-tech choice: Natural fibres have good golden grass fibre possesses a tremendous potential mechanical strength, low weight and low cost. in uplifting the economic status of society in general Natural fibres may be reinforced with thermoplastic and that of Mayurbhanj district in particular. It panel for high tech application. seems to be quite promising both for apparel and technical textiles such as composites, geotechnical e) Fashionable choice: Natural fibres are at the heart textiles. of an eco-fashion. Garments that are made from natural fibres are sustainable at every stage of their I.3. Morphology of Sabai grass Fibre life cycle. All lignocellulosic materials are composed of I.2. Sabai Grass fibre and its importance : Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin which are closely associated with each other at plant level. Sabai grass (Eulaliapsis binata), a perennial plant, Eulaliposis binata is an excellent natural cellulose belonging to the family Poaceae, is grown in many material, noted for its long fibres that have good asian countries like China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, strength and toughness. Table -1 shows the Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and morphological characteristics of Sabai grass. Philippines. Socio-Economic development involves an increase in the material well being of the society. Table-1 Morphological characteristics of Sabai grass and bamboo fibre It is a perennial grass of poaceae family, one of the best fibre grass plants for its high fibre quality and Particulars Sabai production (2). This fibre based on plants or Grass vegetable origin that ensures easy planting, good Colour Brownish perennial growth, wide adaptability, stress yellow resistance, well-developed root system and dense Density (g/cm3) ---- populating propensity. In fact, sabai grass is a Fibre length( L ) in mm 2.4 suitable species for soil and water conservation and Fibre width (D) in µm 9.90 wasteland construction. (3,4) In addition, their good Lumen width (d) in µm 5.75 flexibility and strength, high leaf fibre content (> Cell wall thickness (w) in µm 2.11 55%), low lignin content (< 14%), excellent average Flexibility Co-efficient (d/D x100) 57.67 fibre length (20 mm), enables it as one of the best Slenderness ratio L/D 266 raw material among fibre grass plants for paper Rigidity Coefficient 2w/D 0./42 industry and as rayon and woven materials (2,5–7). Wall fraction (2w/D) x 100 42 Their large-scale cultivation in barren hills and Runkel ratio 2w/d 0.73 slopes have already been practised and proved to (8, 9) The average fibre length of sabai grass is 2.4 mm have fast ecological benefits . These grass compared to those of 17 mm of bamboo. Therefore, family characteristics resembles as a relative of all the mechanical properties of Sabai grass are cereal crops, with high frequency of autonomous (10) (5,11) better than that of bamboo. Based on morphological apospory and wildly seen in in China , India characteristics, the sabai grass is quite comparable and countries in southeast asia with different (12,13) and even better in some characteristics than that of ecological habitats . Sabai grass is also bamboo fibre. Microscopic examination revels that popularly used as construction material for thatches, sabai grass fibres are long, thin, slender and taper walls, roofs and ropes, filler material in plastics and (14,15) off to pointed ends with some parenchymatous in mud matrix cells. The epidermal cells of Sabai grass can be Mayurbhanj is one of the richest districts in Odisha dissolved to some extent with alkali. so far as forest and mineral wealth are concerned. The unique morphological characteristics of Sabai grass Industry plays a predominant role in openness in anatomical features along with low shaping the economic status of rural people in the lignin content makes it desirable for pulp-making district. The industry is associated with various easily at milder cooking and ease of bleaching. The activities of raising production of grass, processing _______________________________________________________________________________________________ ISSN (Print):2347-7601, ISSN (Online): 2347-761X, Vol-4, Iss-4, 2016 2 International Journal of Advanced Chemical Science and Applications (IJACSA) _______________________________________________________________________________________________ fibre cross sectional images (19) clearly indicate dilute acid hydrolysis has hardly any effect on their dimensions for water drainage characteristics cellulose degradation. ensuring them not to require extensive refining to develop fibrillation, hydration and inter- fibre In this present investigation, we analysed the sabai bonding; a big advantage for special quality grade grass morphology through SEM along with thermal paper. analysis to relate its chemical constitution response towards thermal stability(23) II. EXPERIMENTAL The Sabai grass samples were scoured by 2% NaOH and then bleached with H2O2. The samples were washed and dried at 105 O c for 1 hour and then analysed by Scanning Electron microscope, EVO 18 of Carl Zeiss. Then the thermal analysis was carried out by simultaneous thermal analyser (STA) Figure 1. Cross sectional image of Sabai grass fibre of Perkin Elmer which is useful for characterizing