Microwave-based techniques for rapid and feasible extraction of jackfruit leaves (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lam) on the silk fibre / Nurul Ain Ali

The dyeing of traditional textiles by the Malay craftsman in Malaysia in the past is related to natural dyes. Resources obtained from the jackfruit is one of t h e potential colouration. Jackfruit leaves (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lam Leaves) are a renewable source which is often removed from the tree. In this research, three categories of jackfruit leaves were used as the main material; the Young Leaves (YL), Medium Leaves (ML) and Old Leaves (OL). The experimental method with a Two Group Pretest-Treatment- Posttest Design was applied to manipulate the variables in achieving the results. The procedures were divided into two stages; the Pre-test Group and the Post-Test Group of experiments. Extraction through microwave oven was prescribed in the three processes namely the Pre-mordanting and dyeing, Simultaneous mordanting and dyeing and Post-mordanting and dyeing. Aluminium sulphate and natural tannin from the leaves act as the mordant to bind the substrate. All samples were tested for their pH concentration. There were 36 liquid extract and silk yarn samples obtained from the Pe- Test and Post-Test experiments. Through visual observation, it was found that the colours of the liquid extract and fabric samples from the Old Leaves in the Post-Test showed excellent results with a range of deep brown colours. In contrast to the Young Leaves and Middle Leaves which appeared in the yellowish-brown shades. The pH values of the extract from Post-Test were read in the range 5 - 7 (acidic) as compared to the Pre-Test which were 9 – 10 (alkali). The overall shades for the woven piece of textile sample appeared almost the same between the extracts. Thus, the jackfruit leaves were able to extract a range of colours’ based on appropriate leaves’ categories and methodological approach.