Characterization of new natural cellulosic fiber from Calamus tenuis (Jati Bet) cane as a potential reinforcement for polymer composites

This study investigates the physical, structural, chemical, thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the fibers of Calamus tenuis canes and compares the findings with various lignocellulosic fibers to find the place of these fibers as reinforcements for polymer composites. Chemical analysis confirms the presence of 37.43 ± 1.40% cellulose, 31.06 ± 1.03% hemicellulose, and 28.42 ± 0.81% lignin in Calamus tenuis cane fibers, moreover, the presence of these constituents is also confirmed by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis. The X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis determines the crystallinity index of 37.38 ± 0.27% and the crystallite size of 0.87 ± 0.03 nm of the samples. The thermogravimetric analysis ensures that the Calamus tenuis cane fibers are thermally stable up to 210 ± 5 °C. The Weibull distribution analysis is employed to estimate the tensile properties of Calamus tenuis canes, which reveal a tensile strength of 37.5 ± 2 MPa, Young's modulus of 1.05 ± 0.08 GPa, and an elongation at break of 18.94 ± 4.26%. The roughness of the fibers' outer surface is confirmed by SEM micrographs and AFM analysis, suggesting that it could enhance the adhesion between fibers and matrix during the fabrication of composites.