Division & Units

Jute Activated Carbon (NINFET-JAC) as low-cost clean-up Agent

Background:
The analysis of pesticide residues in agricultural and food commodities often suffers from matrix effects, leading to inaccurate estimation of residues. A clean-up step is therefore necessary not only to remove the co-extracted, matrix-derived compounds but also minimise the effects on signal enhancement or suppression of a target pesticide. Among various forms of adsorptive carbons, a commonly used petroleum-derived one is graphitised carbon black (GCB). Nevertheless, as this petroleum-based carbon is high-priced, developing a low-cost carbon cleanup agent is highly warranted. Further, there is no information on any sorts of carbon developed from jute stick biomass/ agro-residue for pesticide residue analysis in food commodities.

Division & Units

Digital Fineness Meter for Multiple Fibres

Background:
The main problem is to measure the fibre fineness where a widely variety fibre parameters are present using a system which will be least dependent upon the operating staff and environmental variables but automatically convert and compute results that will be produced digitally within a very short span of time.

Division & Units

Digital Colour Lustre Meter for Multiple Fibres

Background:
To compare the colour & luster of jute and others natural fibres with respect o the absolute value of white and to present the result in digital form. A low-cost instrument for measuring the colour and luster of jute and allied fibre has been developed by NINFET almost two decade ago using the principal of reflectance photometer, which can measure the brightness and luster of the fibre sample in terms of diffused and specular reflectance using photo electric cell. But this method is not sufficiently accurate as here the illumination of light source and parameters of the output from the light sensor are manually adjustable, and thus the method provides a probable source of error:

Division & Units

Thermal Insulation Value Tester

Background:
The thermal insulation property of textile materials is considerable practical importance, particularly when these materials are used in clothing, winter garments, blanket, quilt, carpet, floor coverings, room insulation etc. Nowadays jute and others natural fibres is used to produce various products either by weaving and knitting and/or by nonwoven technologies. Hard boards from jute stick particles, dust and sticks of other plants of allied fibres are also very much under production. The resistance offered by a textile material to the movement of heat through it, is obviously of critical importance to its comfort. A suitable instrument for measuring the thermal resistance or insulation value of the products is very much essential need of the day. There is no single instrument available so far. An instrument, which can accommodate both thick and thin textile materials and non-textile sheet like products, may need to meet the demand of the present day. In view of the above the instrument has been developed for quick assessment of TIV properties of textile and non-textile materials.

Division & Units

NINFET-Jute Leaf Drink

Background:
Jute (Corchorous sp.), is a commercial crop grown for yielding the “Golden fibre” and conventionally appreciated in industries for making sacks, coarse clothes and diversified products. Despite of its wide acclaimed functional applications jute has dwindled its identity for gaining significance in commercial diaspora. Income from jute fibre has attained the stagnation point and needs further motivation for the cultivation of jute. Therefore, harnessing jute biomass for alternate application is the need of the hour.:

Division & Units

Flax Fibre Extractor

Background:
Extraction of fibre from Indian flax plantis gaining attention day by day. The outer bark covering the stalks of the plant contains the valuable fibre. It can be separated by retting the green plant followed by drying and scutching in a mechanical extractor. Design and development of an efficient mechanical extractor is the need of the hour:

Division & Units

Sisal Leaf Fibre Extractor

Background:
There have been continued efforts to develop an efficient machine for extraction of fibre from green sisal leaves. The available extractors are associated with lesser output as because the entire length of the leaf cannot be processed in the machine. Moreover, the operator has to drag the leaf backward resulting human drudgery and fatigue. Accordingly, design and development of an extractor with the provision of an easy mechanism wherein the green leaves can be processed with the elimination of back-ward dragging and also higher yield of fibre from the whole length of green leaf is the need of the hour:

Division & Units

Manufacture Of High Value Products From Yak Fibre

Background:
The yak plays an important role in the life and living of Indian tribes found in the difficult terrains of Himalayas. Yak animal offers meat, milk, hair (fibre) and leather. Two types of fibres, namely the coarser and fine fibres are harvested once in a year by manual shearing and cutting process. Subsequently, fibres are separated out manually. 

Division & Units

Automatic Electronic Fibre Bundle Strength Tester for Multiple Fibre

Background:
Natural fibres are not graded properly and all qualities of produce are sold in one common lot. Thus farmers producing better qualities are not assured of a better price. Besides, the chain of middle man in agricultural market is so large that the share of the farmers is reduced substantially. In order to prevent such type of deprivation it was a crying need to develop a set of instruments especially for jute, ramie, sisal, sunnhemp and flax fibres growers to be used for finding the correct grade of the fibre, as the price of the products depends upon the grades of the fibre.

Division & Units

Pineapple Leaf Fibre Extractor

Background:
India is one of the major producers of pine apple fruit and its cultivation is mostly spread across different eastern & north eastern states. After harvesting the fruit, green leaves are thrown away which contains valuable natural fibre. The process of extraction of this valuable fibre is of great importance since the quality as well as quantity is strongly influenced by the method of extraction employed.

Division & Units

Microbe Mediated Keratin Extraction from Animal Hair

Background:
Keratins present in animal hair, hooves, nail and feather have immense use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, these proteins are extremely difficult to dissolve and needs harsh mechanical and chemical treatment sometimes at elevated temperature for prolonged period. Such treatments sometimes modify the protein and degrade it producing poor quality keratin proteins. Moreover, some of the chemicals have harmful effects on environment. A microbial process of keratin extraction, on the other hand, is benign and gives good quality keratin proteins.:

Division & Units

Handy Type Fibre Bundle Strength Tester

Background:
Bundle strength of the fibres is an important property of jute fibre as a raw material for yarn and fabric preparation. Strength of fiber refers to its ability to resist rupture under stress.3 Strength is calculated by dividing the breaking load of the sample by the linear density of the restrained fibre. Mechanical bundle strength tester takes a lot of time for sample preparation and manual calculation. Electronic bundle strength tester provides rapid reading of the strength. It has disadvantages that require regular power supply and regular calibration of the instruments. There may be a solution to the problems of the above instruments in the form of a handheld fibre bundle tester.

Division & Units

NINFET-Gender Friendly Portable Power Ribboner

Background:

Extraction of fibre from banana pseudostem is gaining attention day by day. The pseudostem is formed by closely packed leaf sheaths embedded in the growing tip. The manual process of extraction of fibre from this pseudostem is very tedious and time consuming. It also damages a large quantity of fibre. Thus, for the improvement upon the productivity and quality of the fibre, mechanical extraction is the need of the hour. 

Division & Units

Hand Held Colour Meter for Jute and Allied Fibres

Background:
Colour of fibre means the property of fibre which distinguishes its appearance as redness, yellowness, greyness etc. ICAR-NINFET has been developed a digital and mechanical colour and lustre meter which requires continuous supply of power. In hand and eye method of grading, colour of fibre is assessed subjectively. This instrument assesses fibre colour subjectively and indicates through LED lights.

Division & Units

NINFET Jaiveek Sathi: Softening of Barky Root Cuttings

Background:

Removal of hard barks from jute fibres by microbial retting is a process essentially similar to that of retting of green jute plant but not identical because of dried barks. The retting process also involves pectinolytic activity mediated by micro-organisms and their enzymatic actions. The softening process developed with two bacterial consortia will become an eco-friendly process of up-grading barky roots and good quality yarn can be produced out of it through which the jute industry will be immensely benefitted.

Division & Units

NINFET SATHI – A Retting Accelerator of Jute and Mesta

Background:

In major jute growing areas of India and Bangladesh, conventional retting involves the submergence of 2-3 layers of jute plants in water bodies with banana pseudo-stem and mud, and jute fibres are extracted after 20-25 d of retting. The retting process involves microbial removal of pectin, hemicellulose, and other water-soluble materials from the bark of jute plants and results in the separation of fibre from the plant. Inadequate availability of retting water with the non-availability of proper retting technology renders the production of low-quality fibre. Thereby, the farmers are often getting deprived of their hard earn produce, demotivated and very often opt for alternative cultivation practices over jute.

Division & Units

Natural Fibre Based Engineered Bio-Degradable Flexible Composite

Division & Units

Banana Pseudostem Fibre Extractor

Background:
Extraction of fibre from banana pseudostem is gaining attention day by day. The pseudostem is formed by closely packed leaf sheaths embedded in the growing tip. The manual process of extraction of fibre from this pseudostem is vey tedious and time consuming. It also damages a large quantity of fibre. Thus for the improvement upon the productivity and quality of the fibre, mechanical extraction is the need of the hour.

Publication (Annual Report)

Annual Report