Determination of Significant Factors and Optimum Condition for Pineapple Leaf Fiber Extraction as Potential Dielectric Material

The aim in this study was to evaluate the most significant factor affecting the extraction of pineapple leaf fibers and to optimize the extraction conditions. The selected four factors of pineapple leaf powder mass, pineapple leaves to distilled water ratio, pulping time, and heating option were analyzed through two-level factorial analysis via Design-Expert software. The optimum conditions were determined using central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The extracted fibers were analyzed through the Kurschner-Hanack method for cellulose content and were used to produce dielectric materials. The permittivity value of the developed dielectric material was measured through an Agilent vector network analyzer (VNA). The best condition was obtained with a heated sample at 3 g pineapple leaf powder mass, 1:10 PL: DW, and 49.24 min pulping time, which produced 59.25% cellulose content and 2.89 permittivity value. The optimum condition was achieved at 50 min of pulping time and 1000 mL water with 46.84% cellulose content and 2.97 permittivity value. Therefore, based the obtained permittivity value, pineapple leaves could be further explored as potential dielectric materials.