Work

NaOH Alkali Treatment of Gnetum Gnemon Bark Fiber: Morphological, Mechanical, and Color Fastness Characterization

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Despite the ethnobotanical significance of Gnetum gnemon bark fiber as the traditional material for noken bags in Papua, Indonesia, no systematic scientific characterization of this fiber as a yarn material has been reported in the literature. This study presents the first systematic investigation of the effects of NaOH alkali treatment on the morphological, mechanical, and color fastness properties of G. gnemon bark fiber yarn. Fibers were subjected to NaOH concentrations of 0–10% (w/v) at soaking durations of 2, 8, and 24 h, yielding 45 yarn specimens tested per ISO 2062. Surface morphology was examined via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and the color fastness of areca nut (Areca catechu) extract-dyed yarns was assessed using the Grey Scale and Staining Scale (ISO 105-C06). Two-Way ANOVA at = 0.05 was applied. The optimal condition (2% NaOH, 8 h) yielded a tensile strength of 64.82 ± 18.68 MPa and an elongation of 22.07 ± 3.03%, compared to those of ramie and jute. SEM morphology is consistent with the selective removal of surface deposits under these conditions. Natural dyeing achieved Grey Scale and Staining Scale 4-5 without chemical mordant, demonstrating a synergistic relationship between surface modification and dye uptake. G. gnemon bark fiber is established as a mechanically competitive and sustainably dyeable material with significant potential for traditional and sustainable textile applications.

Source: Engineering Technology & Applied Science Research

DOI: 10.48084/etasr.19482