Study of a Fibrous Annual Plant, Luffa Cylindrica for Paper Application Part I: Characterization of the Vegetal

This study is devoted to the morphological, chemical and physical characterization of raw material of the fruit of Luffa Cylindrica. By microscopic analysis, it can be observed that the fruit is composed of an assembly of dependent cords, where four parts are differentiated: external, internal wall, core and bond. Each cord consists of hollow and flexible cylindrical fibers.The external part is richest in cellulose (80%). The mean contents cellulose of the various parts appears higher than those of wood fibers, and the lower percentages lignin (10%). The crystallinity index of cords cellulose was characterized by x-rays diffractometry; the measured value (69%).The thermophysical analysis showes that various kinetic phases of the adsorbed water drainage process and heat capacities measured being close to those of wood celluloses.