Effects of microwave treatment in immersed conditions on the mechanical properties of jute yarn

Abstract

The versatile bast fiber jute has environmental benefits compared to glass fibers. However, for jute to be used in a composite, the fiber properties need to be altered. This study aims to improve the mechanical properties of jute yarn to make it more suitable for technical applications as a composite. To alter its mechanical properties, jute yarn was immersed in water during microwave treatment. The time and power of the microwave settings differed between runs. Two states of the yarn were tested: fastened and un-fastened. Tensile testing was used at the yarn and fiber level, followed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and microscopy. The treatment result demonstrated the ability to increase the elongation of the jute yarn by 70%. The tenacity was also increased by 34% in the fastened state and 20% in the un-fastened state. FTIR showed that no change in the molecular structure occurred. The treatments resulted in a change of yarn thickness depending on the state of the yarn. The results indicate that microwave treatment can be used to make jute more suitable for technical applications depending on the microwave treatment parameters.