Fiber extraction and characterization of Typha Domingensis Pers for the development of bio-composites: a renewable approach to minimize plastic usage in the field of agriculture

The study involves extracting and characterizing fibers from the Typha Domingensis Pers (TDP) plant for the development of bio-composite sheets. The mechanical extraction process yielded 9.3% fibers with a high cellulose content of 70.45 wt%. These fibers also had a thermal stability of 210 °C, making them suitable for withstanding high temperatures during the composite preparation process. Using the hand layup process, three variations of bio-composite sheets were made by mixing sodium alginate and paddy husk powder in different ratios. The sheets were then tested for the basic mechanical, absorbency, and biodegradability properties. The bio-composite sheet blend 2 (BC2), which contained 50% fibers and 50% matrix, showed the greatest tensile and flexural strengths of 242 and 292 MPa, respectively, with lower moisture absorption properties. All three bio-composite sheets exhibited 100% biodegradability. However, bio-composite 1 (BC1) showed significant biodegradability within 60 days. The study revealed that fibers from the invasive Typha domingensis Pers plant can be utilized to create biodegradable composites with desirable properties, making them suitable for use as green planters and other similar agricultural applications.