ABSTRACT
Kenaf, having a greater yield in comparison to other widely used non-wood fibers such as hemp, flax, and jute is one of the prominent annual bast fibers, and is a promising fiber source for various applications. kenaf fibers have been shown to be suitable for composite applications such as particleboard, medium density fibreboard, wood plastic composite, non-woven materials, and pultruded products. The characteristics of kenaf fibers are similar to those of wood compared to hemp, flax, and jute fibers. The stem of kenaf comprises of two major parts; bast and core, that are distinctly different in term of anatomy, physical, chemical, and mechanical properties; the fibrous outer bark or bast and woody inner core. The chemical composition of kenaf is quite similar to that of wood, except for the ash content, which is relatively higher. The mechanical properties of plant fibers are influenced by various other properties namely the cellulose content, fiber diameter, microfibrillar angle, and moisture content.
