Effect of wet processing dynamics of okra fiber: Properties and processing strategies

The earth is rich in fibrous material to cater to the needs of humans. Despite technological advancements,every source of fibre has not been fully tapped. In this regard, a study on okra fibres has been conducted. Theobjective is to overcome the shortage of natural fibres and utilize underutilized fibres on earth. The extractionand analysis of fibres from okra plant was carried out. The world is focusing on renewable and sustainableresources. The fibres were extracted from the stalk of the plant and subjected to extraction and evaluation oftheir properties such as chemical constituents, length, wall thickness, diameter, strength, and moisture content.The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study was also carried out to assess the morphological changes inthe fibres on processing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction test was alsocarried out to detect the presence of chemical groups in the fibres. The XRD spectrum of the raw, degummed,and bleached okra fibers indicated the presence of cellulose, as reflected by the sharp peak that represents theincreasing portion of the crystalline structure of cellulose. The results suggest that okra fiber has the potentialto be a substitute for conventional fibers in various industries such as home furnishings, automotive, civilengineering, geo-textiles, industrial filters, and medical and sanitary materials