Natural Fiber Welded Composite Yarns

Abstract

In this work, all-natural textile composites were prepared from commercially available linen yarns and chitin. An ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate, was used to dissolve chitin, a natural biopolymer found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. Chitin was incorporated into linen yarns via IL assisted natural fiber welding (NFW). These biocomposites have the advantage of maintaining the structural integrity of the underlying yarn while incorporating a functional biopolymer, chitin on the surface and within the structure. Composite materials were evaluated for chitin integration through tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM).