Structural characterisation and coloration of ligno-cellulose and protein fibre-blended structures

This study investigates the structures produced by blending ligno-cellulosic (ramie fibre, Boehmeria nivea L.) and protein fibres (mulberry silk, Bombyx Mori) with dissimilar mechanical properties. Ramie fibre, used for blending, is a ligno-cellulosic fibre with very high tenacity but low elongation. On the other hand, silk (mulberry) fibre has lower tenacity with better elongation. Blended fibrous structures have shown satisfactory tensile strength and elongation, while other physical properties, such as coefficient of friction, brightness and flexural rigidity, have also been improved. Technical findings revealed that the coefficient of friction reduced from 0.79 to 0.48 and specific work of rupture improved from 2.3 to 3.43 mJ/tex after incorporation of silk in the ligno-cellulosic fibre strand. Blended yarn cross-sectional images showed that finer silk fibres came to the surface, whereas the comparatively coarser cellulose-based ramie fibre migrated to the core. Atomic force microscopy of the blend structure was examined to assess the roughness and uniformity of the surface. Fourier Transform–infrared spectroscopy analysis verified the presence of amide groups (associated with silk fibre) and glucose ring groups (associated with the cellulose of Ramie fibre) in the same graph. In addition, innovative techniques of simultaneous coloration of the developed blends are also proposed scientifically.