SISAL FIBERS

Leaf fiber
Sisal fiber
• The lustrous strands, usually creamy white or yellow, average from
80 to 120 cm in length and 0.2 to 0.4 mm in diameter.

• Sisal fiber is fairly coarse and inflexible.

• Sisal fibers are smooth, straight.

• The higher-grade fiber after treatment is converted into yarns and

used by the carpet industry.

• It is valued for cordage use because of its strength, durability, ability

to stretch, affinity for certain dyestuffs and resistance to deterioration
in saltwater.
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Sisal fiber
•Grading of sisal fiber:

•Sisal is used and graded by the industries in three grades.

• The lower grade: High content of cellulose and hemicelluloses. Used

in paper industry.

• The medium grade: Used in the cordage industry for making ropes,

baler and twine. Ropes and twines used in marine, agricultural, and
general industrial use.

• The higher grade: Fiber after treatment is converted into yarns and

used by the carpet industry.
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 Chemical composition of sisal:
 Chemical composition of sisal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=HLHUdU8W0vQ
Fiber Production:
•Sisal plant grows well in a hot climate.

•The sisal plant can be cultivated in most soil types except clay and
low tolerance to very moist saline soil conditions.

•Relatively simple cultivation as it is resilient to disease and easy-care

requirement is low compared to other crops.

•Sisal could be harvested from one-two years after planting. Its

productive life can reach up to 12 years and produces 180-240 leaves
(depends on location).

•So, cultivation of sisal fiber can be a solution of poverty problem in

poor countries.
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Sisal Plant
Production and processing:
• Adult plants send up a lot of leaves almost from ground level.

Leaves are firm, fleshy, and form a rosette on a short trunk.

• After 6-7 years of growth, the sisal plant seeds out a flower stalk

that rises to 20 feet long.

• When it has flowered, the plant produces tiny buds, which develop

into small plants; these fall to the ground and take root, then the

parent plant dies.

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Production and processing:
• Sisal fiber is derived from the leaves of the sisal plant.

• The leaf is crushed between rollers and then mechanically scraped.

• The fiber is then washed and dried by mechanical or natural means.

• The dried fiber represents only 4 % of the total weight of the leaf.

Once it is dried the fiber is mechanically double brushed.

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Production and processing:
• These plants produce rosettes of sword-shaped leaves which start

out toothed, and gradually lose their teeth with maturity. Each leaf

contains a number of long, straight fibers which can be removed in a

process known as decortication. During decortication, the leaves are

beaten to remove the pulp and plant material, leaving the tough

fibers behind. The fibers can be spun into thread for twine and

textile production or pulped to make paper products.

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Production and processing:

• Leaves are harvested when the plants are 2.5 to 4 years old and at
intervals until the plant eventually dies.

• A good plant may yield 400 leaves during its life time and leaf may
contain 1000 fibers.

• The outer mature leaves are cut away and treated in machine which
scrap the pulpy material from the fibers.

• After washing, the fibers are dried and bleached in sun or oven
dried.

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Production and processing:
• Sisal has good affinity for direct, reactive and acid dye stuffs, which

provide attractive shades of good light fastness.

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Sisal fibre extraction
• Manual Process – Retting
• Microbial decomposition of sisal leave

• Boiling
• Leaves are boiled
• Beating
• Washing and Sun drying

• Mechanical
• By Raspador Machine
• Best method in all aspects

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General Properties of Sisal Fiber:
• Sisal Fiber is exceptionally durable with a low maintenance with
minimal wear and tear.
• It is Recyclable.
• Sisal fibers are obtained from the outer leaf skin, removing the inner
pulp.
• Sisal fibers are Anti static, does not attract or trap dust particles and
does not absorb moisture or water easily.
• The fine texture takes dyes easily and offers the largest range of
dyed colors of all natural fibers.
• It exhibits good sound and impact absorbing properties.
• Its leaves can be treated with natural borax for fire resistance
properties.

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Physical Properties of Sisal Fibers:
• Length 2.88 mm
• Width 22.6 μm
• Tenacity 57.2 cN/Tex
• Elongation 3.02%
• Diameter —————— 22–80 μm
• Fiber length ————— 1000–1250 mm
• Density ——————– 1.16g / cm3
• Moisture regain ———- 11 %
• Breaking strength ——– 30–45 cN/tex
• Elongation —————- 2–3 %

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Chemical Properties of Sisal fiber:

• Treatment with sodium hydroxide: Sodium hydroxide does not

affect but it dissolves and removes some of the non-cellulosic

materials such as hemi-cellulose, pectin and water-soluble

substances.

• Resistance to sulphuric acid: If sisal fibers are immersed in

sulphuric acid, it will decompose.

• Resistance to water: Shows good water resistance. Resistance of

sisal fiber to seawater is higher than that to fresh water. 18

Uses / Application of Sisal Fiber:
• Sisal has been the leading material for agricultural twine because of
its strength, durability, ability to stretch, affinity for certain dyestuffs,
and resistance to deterioration in saltwater.

• Sisal is used commonly in the shipping industry for tying small craft,
lashing, and handling cargo.

• It is also surprisingly used as the fiber core of the steel wire cables
of elevators, being used for lubrication and flexibility purposes.
Traditionally sisal was the leading material for agricultural twine or
baler twine.

• Although this has now been overtaken by polypropylene.

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Uses / Application of Sisal Fiber:
• It is used in automobile industry with fiberglass in composite
materials.

• Other products developed from sisal fiber include, lumbar support

belts, rugs, slippers, cloths and disc buffers.

• Sisal is used by itself in carpets or in blends with wool and acrylic for
a softer hand.

• Sisal is also used for non-woven matting, brushing and roving.

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