The fibres from the plant Imperata cylindrica (Linn.) P. Beauv commonly called 'lemon grass' was characterized by both chemical and physical methods. Monomer residue determination showed the fibres to be made up mainly of lignified cellulose, having weight average molecular weight (M_w) of 1.8483 x 10~6, specific gravity of 0.895 and refractive index of 1.5547. The fibre was found to have a staple length of 1.2cm and moisture regain value of 8. Solubility tests showed the fibre to be insoluble in common organic solvents but soluble in hot solutions of mineral acids and salts. Previous processability studies of similar fibres suggest that these fibres may be processable in blends with established cellulosic fibres such as cotton and viscose rayon.
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