Fibrillation of sisal fibers
The fibrillation of sisal fibers were carried out with two methods.
Method 1: a mount of b-glucanase was added in NaAc/HAc buffer
solution (pH 4.8) to prepare an enzyme solution with concentration
of 0.25%. The alkali-treated sisal fibers were hydrolyzed in
the enzyme solution at 50 C for 1 h under continuous agitation. Sisal
microfibrils with diameters of 5–10 lmand aspect ratio of 5–30
were obtained.
Method 2: the alkali-treated sisal fibers were put in a stirrer and
disintegrated mechanically with a stirring rate of 20,000 rpm. Sisal
microfibrils with diameters of 5–10 lm and aspect ratios larger
than 100 were obtained.