Indian Journal of Natural Fibers

Ramie is the strongest vegetable fibre with high textile value. The ramie fibre is extracted from the stem of China grass (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud.). The most stringent difficulty is generally faced due to extraction of ramie fibre from the plant due to presence of gummy substance which embedded the fibrous part. Several methods have been adopted for degumming of ramie fibre but chemical method for extraction is still in practice in which mainly NaOH is used. It is generally used in arrange of 10 gL⁻¹ to 50 gL⁻¹. For processing of huge quantity of decorticated ramie plants the chemicals requirement is high. Excessive use of these chemicals and applications of other means of energy made this process uneconomical and unsuitable for a very big plant. Therefore, an alternative approach has been adopted to remove the gummy substances from the ramie plant and to get a quality ramie fibre for textile use. Three methods of degumming was adopted, the conventional Na₂OH method, application of NaCO₃ with polyvinyl alcohol and with Na₂CO₃ alone. In every stage gum loss was and residual gum content was measured compared. The percent gum removal increased significantly (r= 0.778–0.975) with increase in alkali concentration of these treatments. The order of percent gum removal was sodium hydroxide> sodium carbonate + PVA> sodium carbonate. However, treatment with sodium carbonate and PVA was found to be a novel alternative for degumming of ramie as the order bundle tenacity was sodium carbonate + PVA> sodium hydroxide.