Abaca is a leaf fiber extracted from around the trunk region of the
abaca plant also known as the manila hemp and is closely related to the
banana plant, commonly found in the humid tropics. The fiber is made of
long slimmed cells that form part of the supporting structure of the
leaf. It is mechanically strong, resistant to damage by saltwater and
also has a high buoyancy. It has a long fiber length that reaches up to 3
meters with the best quality of the fiber being lustrous, fine, light
beige in color and strong. During harvesting, the stalks are cut into
strips that are then scrapped as to get rid of the pulp following the
washing and drying of the fibers. Philippines is the world's leading
producer of abaca followed by it's closest rival, Ecuador. In both
countries, the plant is grown on large estates with production mainly
mechanized. The plant is also cultivated in other Southeast Asian
countries.
6 TPH Biomass Wood Pellet Line
Abaca fibers are used in the production of a variety of
handicraft products: decorative accessories, fashion accessories,
textile, garment, packaging materials among others. The fibers are also
broadly used in the making of pulp which are then used as raw material
in manufacturing bank and currency notes, coffee filters, tea bags,
cable insulation papers, adhesive tape papers, charts and maps, computer
chips insulation as well as lens and carbonizing tissue. They are also
of huge importance in the industrial and medical fields: including being
used as composite materials in place of glass fibers in the
manufacturing of planes, vehicles and yatches. Building materials such
as plumbing fixtures, fiber-boards, reinforced concrete and electricity
poles. They are also used to produce telephones, paints, sporing goods
and cleaners.
There are mainly two types of pellets that are
manufactured with the use of abaca fiber. First, there is there is the
multipurpose pellets. These pellets are manufactured and used as forage
and feed supplements for livestock. In the manufacturing of these
pellets, abaca proportions of between 0.1% to 100% by weight are
combined with 99.9% to 0% by weight of cellulostic material are
subjected o a series of spheronization and extrusion processes to
partition the ratios of the materials according to the desired outcome.
Pellets are then manufactured through a series of powder and liquid
layering and
pelletization through wet and melt granulation processes.
Secondly, the fiber is used to produce rationally moulded natural fiber
reinforced polythene pellets. (
wood pelletizer for sale)These pellets contain internal hollow
parts with low internal stresses. This is due to economic cost regarding
manufacturing and the scarce availability of materials. In the
manufacturing process, the purpose is to obtain hollow parts, high
quality surfaces and a perfect distribution of thickness. During the
rotational moulding process, abaca is combined with polythene and a few
other additives resulting to aesthetics with low formation of clusters
and fiber bundles. Upon grinder, the fiber is well distributed in all
parts showing smooth surfaces on all parts. Abaca being a virgin natural
fiber in this case, improves the mechanical properties of the pellets
mostly regarding tensile strength and flexibility. Improvements that are
higher than those obtained from the use of glass fibers.
