Modification of the Mechanical and Structural Properties of Sisal Fiber for Textile Applications

Sisal fibers are reported to have outstanding textile properties including high strength, absorbency, good dye uptake, exceptional durability and abundant availability suggesting their potential in clothing applications. However, sisal fibers have not received the attention they deserve owing to their coarseness and stiffness that limit their application to non-clothing products. This study investigated potential chemical methods to modify the surface structure of sisal fibers, thereby allowing their application in clothing production. The effect of the treatment on sisal fibers was established by their mechanical properties, moisture content (MC) and regain (MR), and structural properties. The treatment produced fibers with 28.6 Tex fineness, an average length of 68.5 cm, a breaking tenacity of 385.6 mN/tex and 3.9% elongation. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that alkali treated sisal fiber had MC and MR of 10.53% and 11.77%, respectively. These parameters were comparable to most cellulosic fibers including cotton, flax and jute. The thermal stability of sisal fibers was observed to increase upon modification as studied by using a Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA), whereas the Infrared spectra of both unmodified and modified fibers revealed the effect of chemical modification. These results suggest a possibility of developing sisal fibers for clothing applications.