Structural Modification of Cellulosic Fabric via Esterification Using Balanites aegyptiaca Seed Oil

Cellulose fabrics were esterified by using varying volume of Balanites aegyptiaca seed oil. X-ray diffraction analysis was carried on the esterified fabrics and unesterified fabric. The crystallographs of all esterified fabrics gave almost the same profile different from that of control fabric. The control fabric gave a sharp single peak at 24.033º diffractometer angle. Esterified fabrics gave a slightly broad split peaks at lower diffractometer angles which ranged from 20.080 – 22.690º, suggesting that there was structural modification of cellulose. The inter-atomic distance (d-spacing) for control fabric was 3.7027 Å. There was increase in d-spacing which ranged from 3.9192 – 4.4216 Å for esterified fabric. The peak width increased from 1.5º (control) to range of 1.6 – 2.8º (esterified) fabrics. The peaks intensity increased from 5489 (control) to highest value (7798) for 30 cm3 of oil esterified fabric. The crystallite size reduced from 9.9 nm (control) to a maximum value (9.2 nm) for 40 cm3 and to minimum value (5.3 nm) for 10 cm3 oil esterified fabrics. The percentage crystallinity reduced from 65% (control) to a range of 62–63% for esterified fabrics. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that reduction in crystallite size, increase in d-spacing, intensity and peak width were due to the presence of a bulky ester group in the cellulose chain; this may also have led to the observed decrease in percentage crystallinity of the esterified fabrics. This structural modification is expected to have direct consequences on the physical and mechanical properties as well as the dyeing properties of the esterified fabrics.