Characterization of a novel natural plant-based fiber from reddish shell bean as a potential reinforcement in bio-composites

Abstract The main aim of this study is to identify a new sustainable plant-based fiber extracted from the reddish shell bean plant to investigate its usage in polymer matrix composites. Natural reddish shell bean fiber was extracted from vegetable shells with a biological degradation method. To determine the fiber characteristic properties, physical, chemical, and instrumental tests were performed on reddish shell bean fiber. The surface of the sample was determined with a scanning electron microscope, and it shows that the fiber has a rough surface along its length. In addition, an image processing approach was devised and implemented to determine the average fiber diameter of the reddish shell bean fiber. The elemental composition of fiber was obtained as 50.67 wt.% oxygen, 47.89 wt.% carbon, and 1.52 wt.% calcium with an energy disperse X-ray analysis device. In addition, fiber diameter was predicted as 785.87 μm with the image processing technique. The fiber density was measured as 1080 kg/m3. The crystallinity index of reddish shell bean fiber was calculated as 57%, and the fiber stables up to 328.23°C. The ultimate tensile strength of reddish shell bean fiber was obtained as 111 MPa. The elongation at break and estimated values of Young’s modulus of reddish shell bean fiber are 1.83% and 6.11 GPa, respectively. According to the results, reddish shell bean fiber can be utilized as reinforcement in polymer matrix composites.