Republic of the Philipines

Department of Education
REGION III
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF NUEVA ECIJA
TALAVERA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
ROXAS STREET, PAG-ASA DISTRICT, TALAVERA, NUEVA ECIJA 3114

CoFives: A Multipurpose Adhesive Reinforced with Coconut

(Cocos nucifera) Fiber

An Investigatory Project
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
for the Requirement in Research II
Physical Science – Group Category

Proponents:

*Marihanna Karel P. Ceña

Franchezca Sherey Ann N. Santos
Althea Dane V. Baldedara
Natashia Kinskie Pallanan
X-Einstein & X-Tesla

SY: 2023-2024

ABEGAIL L. MACAYAN-ALEJANDRO

Project Adviser
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE i

APPROVAL SHEET ii

DEDICATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS v-vi

LIST OF TABLES vii

LIST OF FIGURES viii

ABSTRACT ix

CHAPTER

Introduction and Review of Related Literature

I.

Rationale 1-2

Review of Related Literature 2-9

Conceptual Framework 10

Research Questions 11

Hypothesis 11

Scope and Delimitations 12

Significance of the Study 13

Definition of Terms 14

v
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER

II. Methodology

Research Design 15

Research Locale 16

Data Gathering Procedure 17

References 18 - 20

vi

APPROVAL SHEET
 This research proposal entitled “CoFives: A
Multipurpose

Adhesive Reinforced with Coconut(Cocos nucifera)Fiber as

prepared and submitted by Marihanna Karel P. Ceña, Althea

Dane V. Baldedara, Franchezca Sherey Ann N. Santos and

Natashia Kinskie Pallanan in partial Fulfillment in Research

I is hereby accepted.

ABEGAIL L. MACAYAN-ALEJANDRO Ph.D.

Research Adviser

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the committee for Oral Examination on

, with a grade of .

ABEGAIL M. ALEJANDRO Ph.D. MARK KEVIN

SANTOS

MEMBER MEMBER

JOEMARY DELA MERCED Ph.D

CHAIRPERSON

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment for the

Requirements in Research I Investigatory Project.

CLARISSA M. MARIANO

Head Teacher VI, Science

NORA S. DAQUIZ Ph.D.

Principal IV
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION & REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES & RELATED

STUDIES

Rationale

Natural fibers are fibers that are obtained from

animals and plants. One of the many examples of natural

fiber is coir, otherwise known as coconut fiber, which is

the major topic of this study. This research aims to study

the extraction of coconut fiber and how it can be utilized

as an effective component in making multipurpose adhesives.

Coconut fiber is one of the natural fibers abundantly

available in tropical regions and is extracted from the husk

of coconut fruit (Ali, 2011). It has the thickest, strongest

and most resistant structure of all natural fibers. Due to

this, they are ideal for rope production (Karimah, Ridho,

Munawar, et al., 2021). It is commonly used in making floor

mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses, twine, particle boards

and even in floor tiles.

Aside from the aforementioned uses or applications of

coconut fiber, it is also applied in civil engineering as a

concrete enhancer. When coconut fiber is added to concrete,

it results in improved toughness and flexural strength (W.

1
Ahmad, Farooq, et al., 2020). Since coconut fiber can be

capable of improving the performance of concrete, we figured

it can do the same strengthening to adhesives with proper

utilization. Improved adhesives with coconut fiber can be a

breakthrough in civil engineering and fields alike.

Therefore, this study would like to produce a coir-

based multipurpose adhesive with improved binding

performance for better uses. This study focuses on the

utilization of coconut fiber as a multipurpose adhesive, its

various possible applications, its pros and cons, and

finally, addresses how it can be effective for use. If given

the chance to continue and thereby finish the research, it

is set to benefit the public with an alternative

multipurpose adhesive that has almost the same capability as

Epoxy Resin. It can also serve as a reference for fellow

students who are undertaking the same topic.

Review of Related Literature

Composition of Coconut Fiber

In the world of industrial fibers, coconut fiber (Cocos

nucifera L.), a hard fiber, is extracted from the husk of a

coconut. This research by Mishra and Basu (2020), about

2
Coconut fiber's structures, properties, and applications can

help figure out what the fiber contains and how it can be a

possible adhesive.

Long and short fibers show similar compositions even in

different varieties. Fibers harvested from 6 to 11 months

showed a gradual enhancement in glucose may be associated

with the formation of cellulose and lignin, while showed no

change in other sugars and extractives. However, fibers at

different maturity found to contain different chemical

compositions (van Dam, 2006)

Main chemical constituents of coconut fiber are

polysaccharides and lignin. Although a number of minor

components such as pectin, inorganic salts, nitrogenous

substance, colouring mater, wax, etc., are also found in

them. The composition of coconut fibers contains slightly

higher cellulose, than its lignin content with varying

amounts of hemicelluloses(van Dam, 2006).

Coconut fiber is circular and multi-fibrillar. It has

low breaking tenacity (11.25c/tex), Initial modulus (200

c/N/tex) property but higher breaking elongation (21.5%).

The fiber shows high flexural rigidity and lower inter-fiber

3
frictional resistance for which it is difficult to spin into

finer yarn. Microbial resistance makes the coconut fiber

suitable for using it in different engineering and

geotechnical applications in conjunction with soil and water

(Mishra & Basu, 2020).

Effect of Sodium Hydroxide Concentration on the Tensile

Strength of Coconut Fiber

The purpose of this research by Arsyad, Kondo, Arman,

et al. (2019) is to determine the effect of the

concentration of sodium hydroxide on the tensile strength of

coconut fiber.

The highest tensile stress of coconut fiber is obtained

by immersing 30% sodium hydroxide which is 226,1 N/mm2, then

decreasing. This shows that the higher the concentration of

sodium hydroxide causes the tensile strength of coconut

fiber to decrease. The decrease in the value of tensile

strength is due to a decrease in the cellulose content of

coconut fiber as the sodium hydroxide concentration

increases (Arsyad, Kondo, Arman, et al., 2019).

Several methods can be used on natural fibers to

improve their properties, namely: microbiological, physical,

and chemical methods. The commonly used method is the

chemical

method, where this method can make the fiber surface more

rough. Some advantages of this method such as easy to

implement, fast and effective, energy is used little (Arsyad

& Soenoko, 2018).

It was concluded that (a) the concentration of sodium

hydroxide had an effect on the amount of lignin, cellulose,

and hemicellulose contained in coconut fiber, the tensile

strength of coconut fiber, and the roughness of coconut

fiber surface, (b) the coconut fiber surface is increasingly

rough which allows an increase in bonding strength between

coconut fiber and resin, (c) the highest tensile strength

was obtained at 30% sodium hydroxide soaking 226,1 N/mm2

(Arsyad, Kondo, Arman, et al., 2019).

Mechanical Properties of Coconut Fiber

According to Crucho, Picado-Santos, Neves et al.,

(2022) coconut fiber helps to Construction and demolition

waste and coconut husk are frequently discharged into

landfills, creating and environmental problem.

 The experimental test results indicated that concrete

with coconut fibers has improved toughness and flexural

strength. The compressive strength, compressive toughness,

modulus of rupture (MOR), and flexural total toughness index

of CFRC were improved to 4%, 21% and 910% with 50mm long

fiber length. However, incorporating high dosage of CF can

increase voids and decrease density, which may affect

performance (Crucho, Picado-Santos, Neves, 2022).

The material required for the production of

conventional CBGM are aggregates, cement and water. The

variable under study were the type of aggregate and the

incorporation of CF to promote a reinforcement effect

(Crucho, Picado-Santos, Neves, 2022).

The construction of pavement layers demands a

significant amount of materials, particularly aggregates and

generally, naturally aggregate (NA) are used. In this work,

we evaluated the feasibility, in terms of mechanical

performance, of using recycled aggregate (RA), mostly

crushed concrete to derived from construction and demolition

waste and coconut fiber (CF) obtained from discarded coconut

husk in the construction of cement bound granular mixture

(CBGM). Such CGBM are commonly used in sub-base and base

layers of road pavement. The use of RA and CF, obtained from

actual waste materials wound enable saving in the

consumption of non-renewable natural resources (Crucho,

Picado-Santos,

Neves, 2022).

Composite Adhesives

This research by Wolff, Grawe, Wirth, et al. (2015)

about spider silk, has caught the attention of material

scientists and biotechnologists as a possible phenotype for

developing new biological

material for textile industry and medicine.

They are biodegradable, biocompatible and highly

versatile—the adhesion and the overall toughness of

attachment disc can be controlled by spinneret movements on

a macroscopic level(Sahni, Harris, Blackledge, et al.,

2012). However, to fulfill their biological function, silken

threads must be strongly fastened to substrates or other

threads(Wolff, Grawe, Wirth, et al., 2015).

The pyriform thread is a silk fiber that is coated with

glue-like cement consisting of aligned nanofibrils, lipid

enclosures, and a dense isotropic boundary layer (Wolff,

Grawe, Wirth, et al., 2015).

The threads are spun in a meshwork pattern that

promotes stress distribution and crack arresting. The

results demonstrates that hierarchical organization and

fibre embedding may explain the high adhesive strength and

flaw

tolerance of a structure made by the same, rather simple

type of silk glands(Wolff, Grawe, Wirth, et al., 2015)

Past (Adhesives)

This research of Frihart (2015), about, adhesives has

played and will continue to play an important role in the

vitalization of wood resources. Adhesives play a vital role

in allowing almost all wood to be converted to functional

products.

Wood Adhesives have been widely used for structural and

non-structural uses for years without major problems. The

emphasis has shifted from developing new adhesive types and

new products to the refinement and expanded uses of existing

ones. The International Conferences on Wood Adhesives, now

held for 4 years, continue to be the main forum for

researchers around the world on adhesives and bonded wood

products. Two major early developments were the use of

casein for glulam production and soy adhesives for interior

plywood. Despite some success with biobased adhesives, they

were replaced by synthetic adhesives starting in the 1930s,

mainly due to economics, water resistance, and ease of

use(Frihart 2015).

Early Egyptians used adhesives to attach rare veneers

to wood furniture. Today, adhesives play a vital role in

allowing almost all types and sizes of wood to be converted

to functional materials. For centuries, wood was bonded

using biobased adhesives. In the 20th Century,

synthetic adhesives gradually took over because they were

typically more effective and cost less(Frihart, 2015).

 9

Conceptual framework

Collection of Coconut Fiber

Cleansing and Cutting of

Coconut Fiber

Soaking the Coconut Fiber in

NaOH solution

Reinforcement of Resin with

Coconut Fiber
 Alternative Multipurpose
Adhesive

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

10

Research Questions

The main purpose of this study is to improve the

performance of adhesives, their bonding reactions, and

applications on different surfaces. Specifically, this study

will answer the following questions:

1.How can the coconut fiber be an effective multipurpose

adhesive in terms of:

a. tensile strength

b. versatility

c. bonding time

2. Which among the different concentration of CoFives is the

most effective multipurpose adhesive?

3. Is there a significant difference between coconut fiber-

based adhesives and Epoxy Resin?

Hypothesis

1. There is no significant difference between coconut

fiber-based adhesives and Epoxy Resin.

11

Scope and Delimitations

This study focuses on the extraction and

characteristics of coconut fiber that can be useful in

treating it to make coir-based adhesives. Recent and related

studies will be used as a reference to successfully conduct

the research.

This study will be undertaken at Brgy. Bantug Hacienda,

Talavera, Nueva Ecija between August to September 2023.

This study will not cover any other topics that are not

necessarily connected to coconut fiber and adhesives. Its

limitations are the events, subjects, etc., that are outside

the scope of the study.

 12

Significance of the study

This study was conducted to produce improved adhesives

through the use of coconut fiber extracted from the outer

husk of a coconut. The results of the study are set to

benefit the following:

Students. This research may provide information and serve as

a reference for students or beginners working on similar

studies.

Community. This study will help the community gain easier

access to effective coir-based adhesives for different

purposes.
Researchers. This research may be an instrument to enable

researchers to discover useful and reliable information

relating to their current study.

13

Definition of terms

Adhesives - any substance that is applied to a surface to

bind them together to resist separation.

Bonding time – amount of time that a material binds to

another material.

Coir - also called coconut fiber, is a hard, versatile,

natural fiber extracted from the outer husk of a coconut or

the rough exterior shell of a coconut.

Epoxy Resin – a strong adhesive that offers resistance

against heat and chemical applications.

Extraction - the process of removing or separating the

desired substance.
Integration - the act of combining things into a whole.

Multipurpose - having several or multiple purposes.

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) – also called caustic soda or lye is

a versatile, odorless and corrosive white crystalline solid
and is used in the manufacture of many chemicals.

Tensile strength - ability to withstand tension.

Versatility - having many different functions.

14
 CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

Experimental Design

Table 1: Research Design of the Study

Treatment Replication 1 Replication 2 Replication 3

Treatment 1 130ml of 130ml of 130ml of

Epoxy Resin Epoxy Resin Epoxy Resin

Treatment 2 130ml of 130ml of 130ml of

Epoxy Resin & Epoxy Resin & Epoxy Resin &

100g of 125g of 150g of

coconut fiber coconut fiber coconut fiber

Table 1 shows the research design of the study.

Treatment 1 includes a 130ml of Epoxy Resin and is thus

labeled as the control sample. Treatment 2 involves 130ml of

Epoxy Resin constituted with varying amounts of alkali-

treated coconut fiber (100g, 125g & 150g).

Gathering of Materials

The materials gathered are sodium hydroxide, coconut

fiber, glue, distilled water and oven. The Sodium Hydroxide

15
can be/are obtained from soap-making stores or online shops.

The coconut fiber can be/are gathered from coconut vendors

or coconut related stores. The Epoxy Resin can be/are bought

from the ace hardware store in Waltermart Talavera. The

distilled water can be/are bought from the grocery store.

Research Locale

This study is to be conducted at house number 141,

Purok 4, Brgy. Bantug Hacienda, Talavera, Nueva Ecija

possibly during December to January 2023.

CoFives Preparation

After the coconut fiber is cleansed and cut into 50mm

long fibers, it will be immersed for 3 hours in a solution

of sodium hydroxide with 30% concentration to enable a

bonding reaction with the resin glue. After that the coconut

fiber is rinsed with distilled water, and then dried in an

oven for 5 hours at a temparature of 90°c. Then the coconut

fibers are constituted to the resin glue and is to be tested

on different surfaces and for water-proofness.

16
Application of Treatment

The amount of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in

coconut fiber, as well as its tensile strength and surface

texture, were all affected by the sodium hydroxide help the

epoxy resin to be water-resistant, since the fibers are

relatively waterproof. Therefore, the coconut fiber can be

effective multipurpose adhesive in terms of tensile strength

and bonding time. As for versatility, we have predicted that

the removal of oils and waxes on the surface of the coconut

fiber might enable the CoFives to perform well on different

surfaces and might help the epoxy resin to be water-

resistant, since the fibers are relatively waterproof.

Data Gathering Procedure

Alkali treated coconut fibers were reinforced to Epoxy

Resin in varying amounts on September 2023 at Brgy. Bantug

Hacienda, Talavera, Nueva Ecija. The adhesive will then be

tested on various surfaces to check for multipurpose

adhesion and waterproofness.

17
 References

Ahmad, W., Farooq, S. H., Usman, M., Khan, M., Ahmad, A.,

Aslam, F., ... & Sufian, M. (2020). Effect of

coconut fiber length and content on properties of

high strength concrete. Materials, 13(5), 1075.

Ali, M., Liu, A., Sou, H., & Chouw, N. (2012). Mechanical

and dynamic properties of coconut fibre reinforced

concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 30,

814-825.

Arsyad, M., & Soenoko, R. (2018). The effects of sodium

hydroxide and potassium permanganate treatment on

roughness of coconut fiber surface. In MATEC Web of

Conferences (Vol. 204, p. 05004). EDP Sciences.

Arsyad, M., Kondo, Y., Anzarih, A. M., & Wahyuni, N. (2019,

October). Effect of sodium hydroxide concentration

on the tensile strength of coconut fiber. In Journal

of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1341, No. 5, p.

052001). IOP Publishing.

Crucho, J., Picado-Santos, L., & Neves, J. (2022).

Mechanical Performance of Cement Bound Granular

Mixtures Using Recycled Aggregate and Coconut

Fiber. Applied Sciences, 12(4), 1936.

Frihart, C. R. (2015). Introduction to special issue: wood

adhesives: past, present, and future. Forest

Products Journal, 65(1-2), 4-8.

Karimah, A., Ridho, M. R., Munawar, S. S., Adi, D. S.,

Damayanti, R., Subiyanto, B., ... & Fudholi, A.

(2021). A review on natural fibers for development

of eco-friendly bio-composite: Characteristics, and

utilizations. Journal of Materials Research and

Technology, 13, 2442-2458.

Majid, A. (2011). Coconut fibre: A versatile material and

its applications in engineering. Journal of Civil

engineering and construction Technology, 2(9), 189-

197.

Mishra, L., & Basu, G. (2020). Coconut fibre: its

structure, properties and applications. In Handbook

of Natural Fibres (pp. 231-255). Woodhead

Publishing.

Otunyo, A. W., & Nyechieo, N. D. (2017). Mechanical

properties and fracture behaviour of coconut fibre

reinforced concrete (CFRC). American Journal of

Civil Engineering and Architecture, 5(5), 208-216.

Sahni, V., Harris, J., Blackledge, T. A., & Dhinojwala, A.

(2012). Cobweb-weaving spiders produce different

attachment discs for locomotion and prey

capture. Nature communications, 3(1), 1-7.

van Dam, J.E.G., Van den Oever, M.J.A., Teunissen, W.,

Keijsers, E.R.P., Van der putten, J.C., Anayron, C.,

Josol, F., Peralta, A., 2006. Process for production

of high density high performance binderless boards

from whole coconut husk. Part 2: coconut husk

morphology, composition and properties. Ind. Crops

Prod. 19, 96–104.

Wolff, J. O., Grawe, I., Wirth, M., Karstedt, A., & Gorb,

S. N. (2015). Spider's super-glue: thread anchors

are composite adhesives with synergistic

hierarchical organization. Soft matter, 11(12),

2394-2403.