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Textile Research Journal

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Investigation on improving banana fiber ! The Author(s) 2019

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fineness for textile application DOI: 10.1177/0040517519835758
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S Balakrishnan1, GLD Wickramasinghe1 and

UG Samudrika Wijayapala1

Abstract
The banana is one of the most commonly consumed fruits in Sri Lanka; after the fruit is harvested, the pseudostem is
thrown down as waste. The banana pseudostem is a good source of natural fiber. The purpose of this project is to
investigate the effects of banana fiber extraction, examine treatment parameters on fiber fineness and establish suitable
methods to reduce the fineness that enable banana fibers to be used as textile materials. Ten popular Sri Lankan varieties
of banana pseudostem were selected for this study. From the mechanically extracted banana fiber of these 10 varieties,
Ambun (genome AAA) was selected for further analysis because it had the lowest fiber fineness. Four layers from the
pseudostem of Ambun were extracted and put through a fineness and single fiber strength test. Scanning electron
microscopy and fiber linear density were used to observe and determine the fineness of the enzyme and chemical treated
banana fiber. The mechanical strength of the treated banana fibers was obtained by using a universal tensile tester
machine. The test result showed the second and the third layers of the pseudostem to be the finest. The mechanically
extracted fiber of the second and third layers of the pseudostem were put through an enzyme and chemical treatment.
Results showed enzyme and chemical combined treated fibers to be the finest, with a reduced diameter from 168.4 mm
to 48.8 mm, which is about 71% reduction compared to mechanical extraction.

Keywords
pseudostems, natural fiber, banana fiber, fiber fineness

Presently, with the increasing demand for sustainable
fiber as raw material for textiles, industries are looking
at natural fibers. Jain et al.1 mentioned famous designers
and renowned fashion brands are moving to sustainable
products by using eco-friendly fibers in the production of
clothing and other apparel. Natural fibers have essential
properties such as a ligno-cellulosic fiber, consisting of
helically wound cellulose microfibrils in an amorphous
matrix of lignin and hemicelluloses.2
Banana fruits (Musa acuminata Colla) are delicacies
and an important fruit crop savored all over the world.
It is a popularly grown fruit crop in tropical countries,
such as Sri Lanka, and it has growing consumer
demand.3 Banana is a fruit which is continuously and
easily available no matter what season it is.4 Sri Lanka
cultivates banana in a land area of about 50,000
hectares.5
Banana cultivation also generates a huge quantity of
biomass all of which goes as agricultural waste and
pseudostem and peduncle are the potential sources of
natural fiber. The fibers go as waste due to lack of suit-
able sustainable technology for its economic utiliza-
tion.6 Banana fiber can be utilized as raw material for
the industry in a range of products like paper, card-
board, tea bags and currency notes and reinforced as
polymer composite in fashionable dress material.7
Suhaib et al.8 reported that banana fiber is an environ-
mentally friendly fiber like jute fiber and it has high
export demand from several countries such as Japan,
Australia and Germany, among others. Currently,
India has exhibited a silk-grade banana fiber from a
Department of Textile and Clothing Technology, University of Moratuwa,
Sri Lanka
Corresponding author:
Subashini Balakrishnan, Textile Technology Department, Sri Lanka Institute
of Textile and Apparel (SLITA), Kandawala Estate, No-02 Gen. Sir John
Kotelawala Road, Ratmalana, Colombo, Western 10390, Sri Lanka.
Email: subaedu88@gmail.com
2 Textile Research Journal 0(00)
separator machine, which can be utilized in handicrafts
and textile industries. Banana fiber is easily blended
with cotton or other man-made fibers to produce appa-
rel products.1 However, in Sri Lanka there is no signifi-
cant investigation work done on banana fiber for textile
application. To provide the sustainable textile raw
material supply, many natural fibers have been identi-
fied and investigated to evaluate their suitability for
textile applications.
This research work is to extract banana fiber from the
Sri Lankan plant varieties that are abundantly available
island wide. Furthermore, banana fibers are used as a
source for making products such as handicrafts and
paper. This paper investigates the banana fiber extrac-
tion and treatment methods to improve fiber fineness to
produce fiber suitable for textiles.
Objectives of the research
This research paper is therefore seeking to explore and
investigate the following objectives:
. To investigate the effect of banana fiber extraction
and treatment parameters on fiber fineness.
. To develop suitable methods to reduce the fineness
of banana fibers for textile materials.
Literature review
Banana fiber is easily blended with cotton or other
man-made fibers to produce fabrics.9 The natural
fibers are accessible economically, in plenitude, being
biodegradable, recyclable and of low thickness, and
have inspired numerous specialists throughout the
world to investigate their application potential in dif-
ferent modern divisions.10
Banana pseudostem is abundant and banana fibers
can be easily gathered in Sri Lanka.11 M. cavendishii,
M. paradisiaca and M. sapientum are a few widely
grown common species of musa. M. cavendishii is
known as pure triploid acuminate genome AAA
group. M. paradisiaca and M. sapientum species are
known as triploid acuminate AAB group.12 As indi-
cated in the report of the International Board for
Plant Genetic Resources (descriptor list for bananas),
the banana genomic constitutions of Kolikuttu (AAB),
Ambul (Mysore type, AAB group), from the Cavendish
subgroup Anamalu (AAA), Rath kehel (AAA) and
Ambun (AAA), Atamuru (ABB), Seenikesel (ABB),
Alu kesel (ABB), Poowalu (AB) and Suwandel (AB)
varieties are found in Sri Lanka.13
Banana farming generates large quantities of ped-
uncle and pseudostem due to lack of suitable sustain-
able technology for its economic utilization.14 Banana
pseudostem can be used as a source of natural fiber, as
an alternative or blended with synthetic fibers such as
nylon and polyester, among others.15 Ray et al.16
revealed three kinds of mechanical banana fiber extrac-
tion methods, namely, manual stripping, Bacnis
method and Loenit method. The banana stem extrac-
tion machine reduces work and increases fiber gener-
ation by 20–25 times when compared with the manual
process.8,17 Jacob et al.18 reported that an unrefined
catalyst was utilized for banana fiber treatment of
crude enzyme (pectinase) and the treated fiber was
observed to be appropriate for banana fiber treatment
to impact the detachment of fine fiber. The combined
treatment of NaOH, H2O2 and Na2CO3 increased the
fineness (5.8 tex) of the banana fibers and the single yarn
strength and tensile strength were decreased by increas-
ing the concentration of the chemicals.19 This study
aimed to evaluate the layer-wise properties, namely
fiber linear density, fineness and strength. This paper
investigates the factors influencing the quality of the
fiber and which layers are good for extraction of fine
fiber. This area of research is already progressing in
India20,21 and Spain,22 but has not yet been done with
Sri Lankan varieties. Based on the literature, this paper
concentrates on reducing the fineness of the banana fiber
for textile application.
Materials and methods
Selection of banana varieties
Popular varieties of banana in Sri Lanka, namely Ambul
(Mysore type, AAB group), Kolikuttu (AAB), from the
Cavendish subgroup Anamalu (AAA), Rathambala/
Rath kehel (AAA) and Ambun or Amban (AAA),
Atamuru (ABB), Seenikesel (ABB), Alu kesel (ABB),
Poowalu (AB) and Suwandel (AB), were selected for
this research study. Banana pseudostem was collected
from dry, intermediate and wet zones and its fibers were
mechanically extracted for further processing.
Methods of extraction and treatment
Mechanical extraction: decortication. Banana pseudostem
fibers were extracted by using a decorticator machine
or defibering machine. By using the decorticator crush-
ing action the pulpy material was removed. After the
extraction, the fibers were washed and allowed to dry.
Gentle combing was done to remove excess pith from
the fibers. Washing was done by immersing the fibers in
the large centrifugal washing machine and allowed to
dry. The extracted fibers were observed to be in long
strands and slightly dull yellowish in color. Once the
banana stems were mechanically extracted, extracted
banana fiber samples were treated with chemicals and
Balakrishnan et al.
enzymes to evaluate their physical characterizations.
Mechanically extracted banana fiber cut into 25-cm
lengths were used for physico-biological, physico-che-
mical and physico-enzyme and chemical combined
treatments.
Physico-biological treatment. Mechanically extracted fibers
were treated with 5% concentrations of enzyme at a
temperature of 55 C in acid medium. pH was con-
trolled between 2.5 and 3.5 for the enzyme treatment.
The liquor ratio of 1:50 was used for the treatment. The
treated banana fiber samples were then thoroughly
washed using running water and dried in the oven.
Physico-chemical treatment. Mechanically extracted fibers
were treated with 6% bleaching agents (hydrogen per-
oxide), 2% sodium silicate, 3% caustic soda and 0.2%
wetting agent at a temperature of 95 C for 2 hours. The
treatment’s liquor ratio is 1:50. The treated banana
fiber samples were then thoroughly washed using run-
ning water and dried in the oven.
Physico-enzyme and chemical combined
treatment. Mechanically extracted fibers were treated
with 5% concentrations of pectinase enzyme at a tem-
perature of 45–55 C. pH was controlled between 2.5
and 3.5 for the enzyme treatment. The liquor ratio of
1:50 was used for the treatment. The treated banana
fiber samples were thoroughly washed using running
water and dried in the oven. After that, the enzyme-
treated samples were treated with concentrations of 6%
hydrogen peroxide, 2% sodium silicate, 3% caustic
soda and 0.2% wetting agent at a temperature of
95 C for 2 hours. The liquor ratio of 1:50 was used
for the treatment. These combination-treated banana
fiber samples were then thoroughly washed using run-
ning water and dried in the oven.
Testing of banana fibers
Tensile strength
The electro-mechanical Instron universal tensile tester
machine was used in this experiment. Tensile test speci-
mens were made in accordance with ASTM D3822 stand-
ard to measure the single fiber strength. The breaking
force of individual specimens was recorded to three sig-
nificant digits as read directly from the tension testing
machine expressed in centinewton or gf.
Fiber linear density
Single fibers in a bundle were calculated from mass and
length measurements on the untreated and treated
bundle. The average fiber linear density was calculated
3
using equation one (1), where T is the average fiber
linear density, dtex, D is the average fiber linear den-
sity, denier, W is the mass of bundle specimen, mg, L is
the length of bundle specimen, mm, and N is the
number of fibers in the bundle specimen.
Td ¼ 1000WðL  NÞ ð1Þ
Fiber fineness/surface characteristics or scanning
electron microscopy analysis
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to ana-
lyze the exterior properties of the fibers. SEM was used
to observe the diameter results to evaluate the fineness
of the fiber. It was analyzed by calculating fiber thick-
ness (diameter) at five different places with a magnifi-
cation factor of 1500. This paper assumes that the
cross-section of banana fiber is approximately circular
based on the finding reported by Mukhopadhyay et al.2
The fiber diameter was observed under SEM micro-
scope as the average of five diameter measurements
taken at different locations along the treated and
untreated fiber.
Fourier transform infrared analysis
A Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) Bruker TENSOR
27 spectrophotometer was used to determine the spec-
trum of each treated and untreated sample. A 4000–
600 cm1 transmission range of mode was used for the
testing. FTIR analysis of banana fibers was done to
study the components and its spectrum depicts O – H
stretch, free hydroxyl, O- H stretch, H- bond, - CH2 -
CH2 -, -C C – and C- H alkenes compound gatherings
that are available in the untreated banana fiber.
Conditioning
All test specimens (untreated and treated banana fiber)
were conditioned in the standard atmosphere for test-
ing, which is 21  1 C and 65  2% relative humidity.
Results and discussion
Figure 1 shows the fiber fineness results of mechanically
extracted fiber from 10 types of banana varieties. Rath
kehel fiber shows the greatest fiber fineness value and
Ambun (AAA genome) fiber the lowest compared to
the other varieties. In order to study the finer fiber and
single fiber strength testing results, this research work
selected Ambun, Kolikuttu, Ambul, Atamuru and
Poowalu varieties for further testing.
Table 1 gives the standard deviation and coefficient
of variation of fiber diameter from 10 selected banana
varieties.
4 Textile Research Journal 0(00)

Figure 2 shows that the greatest amount of the single
fiber strength is achieved by Atamuru, Puwalu and
Ambun fibers. According to the results, Ambun fiber
is more suitable for extracting very fine fiber. Hence,
these fibers were used in the chemical and enzyme
treatments.
Table 2 shows the standard deviation and coefficient
of variation of single fiber strength from five selected
banana varieties.
Analysis of layer-wise Ambun banana fiber’s
mechanical properties
Table 3 shows mechanical properties of Ambun banana
and 6) taken from the four layers of the pseudostem
fiber. Banana fibers show uneven joints, obvious slubs,
the joint distances of which are long. The mechanically
extracted banana fiber appearance is not very clean and
smooth (very rough) compared with the other treated
fibers.
Surface morphological analysis
Scanning electron micrograph results of the surface of
mechanically extracted Ambun banana fiber layer-wise
400

Fibre Strength(gf)
fibers. It was observed that the second and third layers 300 1. Kolikuttu
of Ambun banana fibers are finer than the first and 2. Ambul
fourth layers. The results showed that the average fine- 200 3. Atamuru
4. Puwalu
ness of the second layer is 25 tex and the diameter value 100 5. Ambun
is 79.8 mm. The test result showed the middle layers
(second and third) to be the finest. 0
1 2 3 4 5
Banana varieties
Microscopy analysis
Figure 2. Single fiber strength of mechanically extracted fibers
Light microscopic analysis of banana fibers was per-
from five selected varieties.
formed to study the structure of banana fibers with
different magnifications. Significant differences in the
morphology of the fibers (longitudinal views) were
not visible in the microscopic images (Figures 3, 4, 5 Table 2. Standard deviation and coefficient of variation of single
fiber strength from five selected varieties

Banana varieties 1 2 3 4 5

Standard deviation 0.368 1.140 0.517 0.608 0.114

Coefficient 0.154 0.894 0.216 0.254 0.298
of variation

Table 3. Mechanical properties of Ambun banana pseudostem

fiber

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Test method layer layer layer layer

Fiber linear density (tex) 30 25 25 27

Fiber diameter (mm) 206.3 79.8 78.02 159.6
Single fiber strength (N) 2.78 2.67 2.65 2.54
Figure 1. Diameter of mechanically extracted fibers from 10
Elongation (%) 1.10 1.20 1.10 1.50
selected varieties.

Table 1. Standard deviation and coefficient of variation of fiber diameter from 10 selected varieties

Banana varieties 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Standard deviation 0.868 1.35 1.725 0.993 0.895 1.477 1.817 2.985 2.641 2.108
Coefficient of variation 1.226 1.82 2.976 0.987 0.381 1.181 0.571 1.915 1.976 1.945
Balakrishnan et al.
Figure 3. Microscopic view of the first layer.
Figure 4. Microscopic view of the second layer.
Figure 5. Microscopic view of the third layer.
Figure 6. Microscopic view of the fourth layer.
are shown in Figure 7; the irregular surface with impu-
rities due to the microfibrils appeared to be parallel to
the fiber’s axis.
Treated Ambun fiber specimens are shown in
Figures 8 and 9. A rough surface topography of the
5
fiber improves the fiber surface adhesive characteristics
by the chemical treatment and enzyme treatment for
removing natural (lignin and hemicelluloses) and artifi-
cial impurities. However, fibrillation also started
(Figures 8 and 9).
6 Textile Research Journal 0(00)

Figure 7. SEM view of Ambun layer.

Figure 8. SEM view of physico-biologically treated fiber.

Figure 9. SEM view of enzyme and chemical combined treated
fiber.
Balakrishnan et al.
The fractured surfaces of enzyme and chemical trea-
ted banana fibers of SEM images (Figures 8 and 9)
signify that the crash or surface structure changes as
a result of the pull out of microfibrils joined by tearing
of cell dividers and fiber surface see the morphology of
the treated fiber. Mechanical properties of banana
fibers impact on low microfibril angle and high cellulose
content.23 Figure 9 (enzyme and chemical combined
treatment) shows the finest diameter compared to the
other treatments as the hemicellulose and lignin bond-
ing agents between the microfibrils were removed.
Bonding substances can be observed in mechanically
extracted fiber images.24
Figure 10. FTIR spectroscopy graph of the first layer.
Figure 11. FTIR spectroscopy graph of the second layer.
7
FTIR analysis
FTIR spectra of the four untreated layers of banana
fibers are shown in Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13. The
absorption peaks at 1600 cm1 and 1636 cm1 are dif-
ficult to interpret due to the presence of lignin
components.
The absorption band at 3500–3600 cm–1 region
exposed the presence of a strong hydrogen bonded
hydroxyl stretching peak which was due to the presence
of cellulose. The absorption band around 1400 cm–1
revealed the frequency of bending vibration of CH –
bonds. The sharp peak at 1737 cm–1 absorption band
8 Textile Research Journal 0(00)

Figure 12. FTIR spectroscopy graph of the third layer.

Figure 13. FTIR spectroscopy graph of the fourth layer.

Figure 14. FTIR spectroscopy graph of physico-biologically treated fiber.

Balakrishnan et al. 9

Figure 15. FTIR spectroscopy graph of physico-chemically treated fiber.

Figure 16. FTIR spectroscopy graph of enzyme and chemical treated fiber.

revealed C¼O group. The absorption band at 1440–
1400 cm–1 region exposed the presence of O-H bend.
The 770–735 cm–1 absorption bond represents C-H
bend (meta). Figure 14 shows the absorption band at
2850–2750 cm–1 exposed the presence of C-H aldehyde
stretch and 2830–2695 cm–1 region exposed H-C¼O:C-
H stretch aldehydes. Figure 15 shows the absorption
band at 700–610 cm–1 region exposed the presence of
–C (triple bond) C-H:C-H bend and H-C¼O:C-H
stretch aldehydes (Source: Infrared Spectroscopy
Absorption Table). Physico-enzyme and chemical com-
bined treated fibers’ (Figure 16) peak at 1600 cm–1 is
found to have disappeared which indicates lower
lignin components.
From the biological and chemical treatment result, it
was observed that the fiber fineness influences the
10 Textile Research Journal 0(00)

Figure 17. Tensile strength of Ambun fiber.

180

160
1.Mechanical extraction
140
2.Physico-biological
Fibre fineness (µm)

120 treatment

100 3.Physico - chemical

treatment
80
4.Physico - enzyme and
60 chemical treatm ent

40

20

0
1 2 3 4

Figure 18. Fineness of Ambun fiber.

Table 4. Mechanical properties of mechanical extraction and treatment methods

Mechanical Physico-biological Physico-chemical Physico-enzyme and

Properties extraction treatment treatment chemical treatment

Fineness (mm) 168.4 101.45 60.5 48.8

Fiber linear density (tex) 25 21 18 5.6
Single fiber strength (gf) 2.670 3.298 2.973 2.931
Moisture content (%) 9.90 9.60 9.60 11.10
Balakrishnan et al.
thickness (diameter) and tensile strength properties.
The fiber fineness reduced after biological and chemical
treatments. Physico-biological treatment shows a
higher strength value compared to the other treatments.
Physico-chemical treatment and physico-enzyme and
chemical combined treatment results show fiber fine-
ness is reduced and single fiber strength of the
Ambun fibers (Figures 17 and 18) is increased due to
the alkali treatment. Physico-enzyme and chemical
combined treated fiber diameter (mm) is the lowest com-
pared to the other treatments (Figure 18).
Treatment of enzyme and 6% hydrogen peroxide,
2% sodium silicate and 3% caustic soda combined
shows linear density of 5.6 tex, diameter of 48.8 mm
and strength value of 2.931 gf (Table 4). Enzyme and
chemical combined treatment reduce the diameter from
168.4 mm to 48.86 mm which is a 70.98% diameter
reduction compared to the mechanically extracted
fiber diameter value. Moisture content was tested
and it was found that the test results are superior to
cotton fibers.
Conclusion
Based on the study, 10 varieties of banana fibers were
investigated and the results show that Ambun fiber was
more suitable for extracting fine fiber. The physico-bio-
logical treatment shows higher strength values (19%)
than the other treatments, even though physico-biolo-
gical and physico-chemical treatments gave moderate
improvement in fiber fineness. Results shows that phy-
sico-biological treatment reduces fiber fineness (from
168.4 mm to 101.45 mm) and linear density (from 25
tex to 21 tex) compared to mechanical extraction.
Physico-chemical treatment resulted in 64% reduction
in fiber diameter and 10% increase in fiber strength
compared to mechanically extracted fibers. Physico-
enzyme and chemical treated fiber presented 71%
reduction in fiber diameter and 9% increase in fiber
strength compared to mechanically extracted fibers.
However, fiber strength decreased with an increase of
chemical concentration. Physico-enzyme and chemical
treated fiber SEM analysis revealed that fibrous bun-
dles were not well separated in technical fiber and the
surface was more clear. FTIR analysis of physico-
enzyme and chemical treated fibers shows that the
peak at 1600 cm1 disappeared, which indicates
the removal of some lignin from the fibers. Out of all
treatments, the physico-biological and chemical com-
bined treatment improved the fiber fineness (48.8 mm)
and fiber linear density (5.6 tex) compared to mechan-
ically extracted fiber. It was proven that the banana
fiber fineness was better than the fineness of silk fiber
(58.8 mm) at this instance, which is suitable for blending
with cotton for short staple yarn spinning.
11
Declaration of conflicting interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with
respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this
article.
Funding
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial sup-
port and necessary facilities for the research, authorship and/
or publication of this article: the Ministry of Industry and
Commerce Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and
Apparel.
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