EXPLORATION OF MECHANICAL, PHYSICAL & CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF TERMINALIA CATAPPA FRUIT FIBER

The natural fibers nowadays play a major role as reinforcement in composites due to their important properties like lightweight, biodegradability and non-toxicity. Terminalia Catappa fruit fiber is one such type possessing high cellulose which is inexpensive and available in plenty. The Terminalia Catappa fruit fibers were extracted and its physical and chemical properties such as density, cellulose, wax, moisture were experimentally determined. In this study, the Terminalia Catappa fruit fibers were treated with 5% and 10% of NaOH and the effect of alkali treatments on the fiber properties were explored