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Kenaf
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General
- Kenaf or Hibiscus
cannabinus L is a bast fiber crop that has been used for a long time as
cordage, ropes, etc. Kenaf, Species: Hibiscus cannabinus, L.Family:
Malvaceae , is a warm-season annual fiber crop related to cotton, okra,
and hibiscus. Kenaf is one of the allied fibers of jute and shows
similar characteristics.
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Kenaf
is a short-day, annual herbaceous plant cultivated for the soft bast
fiber in its stem. Kenaf is closely related to cotton, okra, and the
hollyhocks. Kenaf grows quickly, rising to heights of 12-14 feet in as
little as 4 to 5 months.
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Kenaf
has been a source of textile fiber for such products as rope, twine,
bagging and rugs. Kenaf is a promising source of raw material fiber for
pulp, paper and other fiber products, and has been introduced since WWII
in China, USSR, Thailand, South Africa, Egypt, Mexico and Cuba.
Process
- Several harvest and
storage methods have been tested. The preferred system will likely vary
from one area to another because of differences in climate and milling
requirements. Until recently, the most feasible method appeared to be
chopping the green or air-dried plants with a forage chopper. The green
material can be stored anaerobically like silage and the air-dried
material can be piled or loosely stacked or baled. The most recent
innovation has been the development of an 8-row harvest machine which
cuts the stalks and lays them down for drying in the field. The dried
stalks are gathered, shredded at the field and transported to the fiber
mill's storage area.
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Kenaf fiber, as removed from the
stalk, is too long to be
used for conventional
hardboards. By using a steam-pressurized refiner, a very good quality
fiber suitable for making hardboards was produced. Before refining, the
stalks were pre-steamed in a digester for 3 min under 310 kPa steam
pressure. Open plates with subsurface dams were used for the refining
process; the plate gap was 380 μm. Some of the kenaf was initially
refined by putting the cut stalk into the digester for the steaming
process.
Production
- Kenaf is a
fiber plant native to east-central Africa where it has been grown for
several thousand years for food and fiber. It is a common wild plant of
tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia.
- Kenaf are sold
at local markets in West and Central Africa. Statistics on production
and trade as a vegetable are not readily available. World production of
kenaf fibres is estimated at 400,000 t/year. India is by far the largest
producer 230,000 t/year. In Africa, production is limited and
practically all kenaf fibre is produced domestically. Industrial
production is reported from Nigeria and Sudan.
Application
- The main uses
of kenaf fiber have been rope, twine, coarse cloth, and
paper. In
California, Texas and Louisiana, 3,200 acres of kenaf were grown
in 1992, most of which was used for animal bedding and feed.
- Emerging uses of
kenaf fiber include engineered wood, insulation, and clothing-grade
cloth.
- Kenaf seeds yield a
vegetable oil that is edible and high in omega antioxidants. The kenaf
oil is also used for cosmetics, industrial lubricants and as bio-fuel.
- An infusion of the
leaves is used in the treatment of coughs. In Ayurvedic medicine, the
leaves are used in the treatment of dysentery and bilious, blood and
throat disorders.
Market
- Jute, kenaf, and
other allied fibers (JAF) are the second most important natural fibers
next to cotton. Total world production of JAF fluctuates around three
million tons each year depending largely on the world demand, as well as
the climate conditions in JAF producing countries. In 99/00, total world
jute and kenaf production was 2.6 million tons. Total kenaf production
in 99/00 was 0.51 million tons, among which production from China
accounts for 44%, India for 39%, Thailand for 12%, and the remaining are
from Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries.
- China’s jute
and kenaf textile industry reached a peak when the output of gunny bags
rose to 931 million and the annual production capacity climbed to 1.3 to
1.5 billion. But the market demand, including export, was only 700 to
800 million.
Report
- KP Products
Inc. produced the very first commercial scale kenaf paper that was made
from 100% virgin kenaf fiber, U.S. grown, and totally chlorine free.
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Processors and manufacturers are
particularly interested in using hemp and kenaf for manufacturing
non-woven products. Kenaf has a lower tensile strength than fibre-glass
but greater than pine-wood fibres.
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During the past 10-20 years in
both Australia and USA focussed of using kenaf as a source of paper
pulp. However, more recent studies conclude that kenaf and hemp both
have potential uses in the higher value end of the market, eg industrial
non-woven products, which are worthy of further investigation.
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