Characterizing novel cellulosic fibers extracted from Vicia faba plant waste stems as a promising reinforcement for applications in sustainable textile and lightweight biocomposites

Abstract

Plant fibers (like cotton, jute, etc.) provide essential materials for human civilization. Here, we study natural fibers (NFs) derived from the Vicia faba (Vf) plant stems, which were examined in this research to assess their potential as a sustainable substitute in plant fiber-based industries. Their previously unexplored morphological, physicochemical, and thermomechanical characteristics are the main focus of the research. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Weibull distribution (WD) analysis were among the methods used. According to XRD, Vf fibers (VfFs) feature crystallites that measure 2.98 nm and have a crystallinity index of 60 %. VfFs showed a failure strain of 1.47 ± 0.40 %, a Young's modulus of 4.15 ± 0.36 GPa, and an average tensile strength of 56.37 ± 13.33 MPa. The maximum likelihood method of statistical WD analysis was used to examine these properties. TGA revealed that VfFs had an activation energy of 89.40 kJ/mol and are thermally stable up to 352 °C. These findings support an environmentally friendly approach to material enhancement by highlighting the potential of VfFs for usage in lightweight biocomposites and their applications in the textile industry.

Keywords: Cellulose biocomposites; Crystallinity index; FTIR/TGA; Mechanical characteristics; Moisture absorption; Vicia faba plant.