4. DESCRIPTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to Extraction and characterization of fibers from sugarcane leaves
INTRODUCTION
Sugar cane is the largest crop in the world and is grown in many countries. Despite the fact that sugar cane is primarily grown for the production of sugar, the current emphasis on sustainable energy and sound environmental practises has led to the understanding that lignocellulosic biomass, such as that derived from sugar cane, can serve as the foundation for a biorefinery, textiles, composites and a wide variety of possible products. The decrease in the global price of sugar has also boosted interest in the sugar cane plant's other use. Because sugar cane is a perennial C4 grass, it converts solar radiation into biomass far more efficiently than wheat or maize. The composition of sugar cane is highly dependent on factors such as the cane variety, the place and climate in which it is grown, the degree of ripeness, and so on. Sugar cane is predominantly made of sucrose, fibre, and water. Other components include glucose and fructose, inorganic compounds, nitrogenous chemicals, gums, waxes, and organic acids. Typically, the leaves are alternately linked to the nodes, forming two ranks on opposite sides. The mature sugarcane plant has an average upper leaf surface of around 0.5 square meters and, depending on the variety and growing conditions, approximately 10 green leaves per stalk. The calorific value of dried sugarcane leaves is equivalent to that of other forms of biomass. In order to combat pollution and energy issues, dry sugarcane leaves can also be utilized to make briquettes. The sugarcane plant develops a number of 3 to 7 meter (10 to 24 foot) tall stalks with long, sword-shaped leaves. At each segmental junction, there is a bud on the stalks. Sugarcane has green, elongated, linear leaves. The leaves of the cane are quite sharp, and certain types of sugarcane can fall and obstruct regions. A sunny location with well-drained soil is the ideal habitat. Stressors, such as prolonged cold temperatures, poor soil fertility, and pH extremes (optimum range: 5.5-6.5), will reduce crop yields. Cellulose has the formula C6H10O5n and is a gluco-polysaccharide. It is rarely found in nature alone, but is generally associated with lignin, hemicellulose, gums, tannins, lipids, and other

substances. It produces chains of 10,000 glucose units connected by hydrogen bonds. Because of its strong connections, cellulose is insoluble in most solvents. It is amorphous and has polymer chains that branch. Lignin is a phenolic polymer that is -amorphous and cross-linked. It provides mechanical strength to plants and prevents water absorption via cell walls. True fibre and pith are chemically identical yet have different topologies. True fibres have a high length-to-diameter ratio (about 70) and a high coefficient of wet and dry expansion and contraction. During pulping, the intimate cohesiveness of fibres accounts for their strength, cohesiveness, and bendability. They can absorb liquid many times their body weight. Bagasse is practically entirely used as boiler fuel by sugar industries, and various nations are investigating its use for cogeneration. Green and dry cane leaves, cane tops, and other non-cane material are unnecessary. Bagasse and sugar cane leaves are gaining popularity, and there is a rising need to understand their chemical and physical properties. This aids in determining the end use of these fibres. This study focused on separating and characterizing sugar cane fibres from the leaves and analyzing them using elemental analysis, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).