Promoting natural fiber from bark of Hibiscus tiliaceus as rope to reduce marine pollution from microplastic fiber yield from synthetic rope

Study Program of Mechanical engineering, engineering Faculty, Udayana University, Jimbaran, Bali, 80361, Indonesia

^∗ Corresponding author: nindhia@yahoo.com

Abstract

Synthetic ropes are popular for application in marine boat as docking, anchor, tow, and sailing. The advantages of synthetic ropes are waterproof, strong and durable, can be designed for sinks or floats and able to stretches. Synthetic ropes are stronger, more resistant to rotting than ropes created from natural fibers. Synthetic ropes also possess certain disadvantages of slipperiness, and can be damaged more easily by UV light. Synthetic ropes is recognizes as a source of microplastic fiber pollutant in marine area. In this work a bark of Hibiscus tiliaceus three is introduced as candidate source of natural fiber for rope to reduce number of microplastic fiber pollutant from synthetic rope. The bark was taken from a trunk with diameter around 20 cm. The bark was immersed in water for 7 days and subsequently was soaked in 5% NaOH solution for 2 hours. Fiber obtained then was dried. It was prepared 7 valid single fiber samples. The average of tensile strength of single fiber obtained by using this method is found around 44.604 MPa. The average of Modulus elasticity E is found 365.864 MPa. The failure strain is found 11.6 %.