Umudike Journal of Engineering and Technology

In the present investigation the hydro expansion mechanism of natural fiber was correlated with their mechanical properties via statistical analysis. Samples of treated and untreated wire weed fiber were tested under direct tension in a universal testing machine and the cross-sectional areas of the samples were calculated. The wire weed fiber samples were pretreated in constant solution of 2 wt. % NaOH for 120 hrs before the actual treatment in H₂O₂ solutions of 2 wt. %, 4 wt. % and 6 wt. % for 50 mins, 100 mins and 150 mins. The mechanical performance of the wire weed fibers were studied at different treatment conditions. The fiber sample at 4 wt. % and 100 mins showed the highest mechanical performance with tensile strength and Young’s modulus of 188.8500 N/mm² and 2942.0000 N/mm², respectively. Weibull statistical analysis was used to quantify the variability of fiber strength at different treatment conditions. The fiber sample at 2 wt. % and 100 mins showed the highest Weibull modulus (m = 0.7472), whereas the fiber sample at 4 wt. % and 50 mins showed the lowest one (m = 0.4817), which means that the sample at 2 wt. % and 100 mins had the lowest variability and that at 4 wt % and 50 mins had the highest variability.