Characterization of Nonwoven Structures Made from Luffa Cylindrica Fibres

Abstract

This-study is a-fraction of a-larger-research, on potential-alternatives, to polyethylene-shopping-bags. Dry-laid adhesively-bonded nonwoven-structure was produced, from luffa cylindrica fibres. Testing parameters of the-produced-nonwoven-structure were-limited-to: a-mass-per-unit-area, tested according to ISO 9073-1:1989; thickness (ISO 9073-2:1995); tensile-strength and elongation (ISO 9073-3:1989); tearing-strength (ISO 9073-4:1997); and bursting-strength (ISO 13938-2:1999). The-data-analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel, 2010 software. The-nonwoven-structure had mass-per-unit-area of (645-3386) g/m²; thickness of (1.48-1.80) mm; tensile strength of (1.4-110.2) N; elongation of (2.8-13.8) %; tearing-strength of (2,292.5-47,952.0) mN; and bursting-strength of (79.4-338.2) KPa. From the-test-results, it was obvious, that the-nature of bonding has significant-effect, on-the-mass per-unit-area, tensile-strength and elongation, tearing-strength and bursting-strength of the nonwoven-structure made from luffa cylindrica fibres. The-selected-properties, of the-nonwoven-structure, are comparable, with the-requirements, for bursting-strength and tearing-strength, specified by Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), for shopping-bags. The-study, thus, presents a-potential-opportunity of replacing polyethylene-shopping-bags, on the Kenyan-market, with a-nonwoven-structure from luffa cylindrical, as a-potential biodegradable-substitute material for shopping-bags. Recommendations for further-research are also identified.

Keywords: sustainable shopping bags, textile testing, natural fibres.