The Study on Physical Characteristics of Water Hyacinth Fibers by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

This study investigated the physical properties of water hyacinth fibers. The sources of samples in this study are 3 areas: (1) Klong-Rangsit Pathumthani Province, (2) Klong-Phasicharoen Bangkok and (3) Khlong Leb-Khlong-Papa, Nonthaburi Province. The steps of study are carving water hyacinth by mechanical methods and investigate the physical properties of water hyacinth fibers by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For a primary study, the water hyacinth fiber extraction was done using the mechanical method. It combined with the preliminary method using the semi-automatic mechanical extraction machine. The sizes of water hyacinth fibers in three sources are similar since this method using mechanical force was roller grinding; this allowed successful production. Next, the water hyacinth fiber was examined by microscopy at 150x, 500x, 750x and 1,000x. The mechanical extraction method is a group of fibers that are clustered together. The surfaces of fiber were uneven distribution and fiber-like tubular pipe several thousand units per single fiber. In addition, a hollow porous massively complex and the surface of the fiber is similar to a group of tubes with a cluster on a single fiber unit. Furthermore, the surface of the fiber by the similar pipes arranged in an orderly manner. When viewing the image in single transverse fibers, visual appearance across the single fiber is hollow, porous, high density complex. This is a great feature of the fibers in which can retain air better. From the above results gave a clearly visual.