Investigation of Physical Properties of Banana Fiber Extracted from Ambun (AAA) Cultivar

The study aims to investigate the physical properties of the banana pseudo-stem fibers extracted from Ambun (AAA) cultivar, representing wet and dry climatic zones in Sri Lanka. Banana stems were subjected to different extraction methods. Physical decortication technique, chemical (Sodium hydroxide) and biological enzymatic method were used. Mechanical extraction resulted in coarser fiber with moderate tenacity. Chemical extraction resulted in finer fiber with lower tenacity. Biologically extracted fiber resulted in higher tenacity. Layer-wise fibers mechanically extracted inner and outer layer fibers indicated lower density and higher tenacity values. Mechanically extracted fibers were subjected to further treatments with Caustic Soda (NaOH), Hydrogen Peroxide(H₂O₂), Combined scouring (NaOH and H₂O₂), and Enzyme (Pectinase). Peroxide treatment resulted in finer fiber and caustic treatment resulted in coarser fiber. Enzyme treated fiber resulted in the lowest elongation and fiber treated with caustic resulted highest elongation. Fiber treated with H₂O₂ results highest tenacity and caustic treatment on fiber results lowest tenacity.