BEHAVIOR OF KENAF FIBERS AFTER IMMERSION IN SEVERAL WATER CONDITIONS

Behaviors of kenaf fibers after long-term immersion under several environmental water conditions were studied. Water absorption tests were carried out by immersing kenaf fibers in distilled water, sea water (pH 8.4), and acidic solution (pH 3) at room temperature for 140 days. The test results indicated significant differences among the kenaf fibers immersed in different environmental conditions, with kenaf fiber immersed in sea water exhibiting the highest level of water absorption, whereas kenaf fiber immersed in acidic solution showed the lowest water absorption values. The tensile strength of the immersed kenaf fibers decreased with increasing immersion time, implying degradation of the fiber. Investigation on the microstructure of immersed kenaf fibers using SEM reveal the degradation of the kenaf fiber with the development of micro-cracks and increased surface roughness of the fiber.