Title
Prediction of the equilibrium moisture content based on the chemical composition and crystallinity of natural fibres
Author
Sweygers, Nick (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Depuydt, Delphine E.C. (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Eyley, Samuel (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Thielemans, Wim (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Mosleh, Yasmine (TU Delft Bio-based Structures & Materials) 
Ivens, Jan (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Dewil, Raf (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Appels, Lise (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Van Vuure, Aart Willem (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
Date
2022
Abstract
Natural fibre-based materials offer various advantages compared to synthetic fibres, however their applications are limited mainly due to their hygroscopic properties, which are affected by their chemical composition, microstructure and the porosity of the plant cells of which the fibre is composed. Therefore, this work investigates the hygroscopic behavior of natural fibres to obtain a better understanding of the relation of the chemical composition of the fibres, their crystallinity, and their equilibrium moisture content. The crystallinity index was determined to include amorphous cellulose into the developed models. Nine biomass samples were selected (flax, hemp, jute, spruce, bamboo, corn stalks, palm leaves, rice husk and wheat straw) to construct models via linear regression to predict the moisture sorption behavior of natural fibres. Thorough statistical (ANOVA, RMSE) analysis showed that the developed models are relevant and descriptive. From all major plant cell wall constituents (lignin, crystalline cellulose, amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose), it is hemicellulose's hygroscopicity that is largely responsible for the moisture uptake of the fibres, with (amorphous) cellulose and lignin playing a (much) smaller role. This study has improved the understanding of the hygroscopic behavior of natural fibres, and is important for optimal application of these fibres in composite materials.
Subject
Chemical composition
Crystallinity
Equilibrium moisture content
Natural fibres
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:01c0ee10-e375-4c51-af77-430228a9512f
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2022.115187
Embargo date
2023-07-01
ISSN
0926-6690
Source
Industrial Crops and Products, 186
Bibliographical note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Part of collection
Institutional Repository
Document type
journal article
Rights
© 2022 Nick Sweygers, Delphine E.C. Depuydt, Samuel Eyley, Wim Thielemans, Yasmine Mosleh, Jan Ivens, Raf Dewil, Lise Appels, Aart Willem Van Vuure