Characterization of Single Enset Fiber Tensile Properties Using Optimal Experimental Design and Digital Image Correlation Technique

Abstract

With the majority of the world’s fiber use relying on wood, cotton and petrochemicals, the use of alternative fiber sources in manufacturing is rapidly gaining importance in reaching the Sustainable Development Goal’s on innovation and responsible production. Lucidly, Enset is a main staple crop in southern and central Ethiopia where the pulp is fermented for food production but its strong fibers are now only used for local rope making or they are discarded. Hence, importance of processing this agricultural product for industrial application is explicit and characterization is, thus, mandatory. This paper presents the characteristics of a single Enset fiber in tension using Optimal Experiment Design and Digital Image Correlation techniques. To do so, Enset fiber sample with 10cm length glued to sand paper case with TIPIX application and speckle formation is prepared. Fiber density is measured by a Pycnometer to estimate a cross sectional area. Then, a known amount of load has been gradually applied until failure. And, images are taken while the extension is taking place using the limes camera. The retort of every point is used with analogue data to make a correlation using correlated solution software (Vic2D), and related scrutiny to determine fiber properties. Bundle test has also been used to reinforce the result. This work reports the properties of the fiber to be: Density: 1.4 g/cm3; Strength: 67Mpa-923Mpa, Mean strength: 647MP; E modulus: 12Gpa-69Gpa, Mean E modulus: 46MPa. Here, the major reason behind the smallest value in the range is the manual fiber extraction utilized in light of extracting the pulp.