The Strength of Plant Fibres

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                                             The Strength of Plant Fibres

Aim: 
The aim of the experiment is to extract ‘commercially useful fibres’ from a plant stem and investigate their properties by testing their tensile strength (maximum stress caused by a pulling force that a material can withstand without failing). This also includes developing certain experimental skills using apparatus with a procedure that is suitable to produce valid results. The plant fibres which I will be using are pampas grass and celery. Using these two different types of fibres will help me compare the different strengths, and tensile strength differences. Therefore, this will lead me on to the information about the specific fibre and its usage according to its strength.

Plant fibres have been used widely by humans for commercial manufacture all around the world. The use which they have depends on their obtained properties. All plant fibres are relatively strong and flexible having long usage life. Most economically important products, such as paper, bio plastics, bedding, cordage (cords and rope) and textiles are derived from plant fibres. Fibres are thick, elongated cells having heavy lignified cell walls. When plants reach maturity the fibre cells are dead, only supporting the plant stems and roots. Fibres are one of the main components of sclerenchyma tissue, along with other cells, which produce the gritty texture in pears.  Longitudinal section and cross section of a fibre cell:

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The lumen inside a mature, dead fibre cells is very small when viewed in cross section.

Fibres are removed from the stems by retting, which has various ways. These include field retting and water retting. The fibre may also be removed practically, by just removing it using the hand. This is the cheapest and quickest method, with no produced harmful waste. Yet, it is the most inaccurate way of retting, since the first two methods happen over a period of time. In water retting, the plant stems are submerged in water and kept there for about 20 days in order to ...

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