Fidelity of new chemical degumming method for obtaining superior properties of Bast fiber from Apocynum venetum

Bast fibers from Apocynum venetum (A. venetum) have the potential to be a natural cellulose textile fiber similar to jute and ramie. In this study, endeavors were made to extract fiber from the bast of A. venetum using a new chemical degumming method (Fiber-N) instead of traditional acid pretreatment and alkali degumming. Traditional chemical degumming (Fiber-C) has certain disadvantages, such as the use of acid for pretreatment and prolonged high-temperature cooking, which causes severe fiber damage and is also an environmental hazard. To overcome these limitations, it is essential to find a new chemical degumming method. Fibers obtained by the new method (Fiber-N) and the traditional method (Fiber-C) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), residual gum content, fiber yield, and mechanical property measurement. Compared with Fiber-C, 2 h of the new degumming method (2 h Fiber-N) exhibited 15.15% lower residual gum content, 48.5% higher breaking strength, 22.15% higher breaking elongation, and 27.27% higher fiber yield along with substantial savings of water and energy, 22.22% and 60.75% respectively. Furthermore, SEM images of the Fiber-N process fibers showed a smooth surface with no impurities, indicating that the Fiber-N process is simpler, efficient, and could be a superior method of extracting fibers from the bast of A. venetum.