DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjet.2026.v14i09.007

Pages: 551-560

Bio-derived silica offers a potential route for converting plant waste into functional textile-finishing materials, but its effect on fabric mechanics must be established before it can be considered a viable auxiliary. This exploratory study evaluated the tensile and tear response of fabric treated with a Bambusa vulgaris leaf-derived silica formulation. Five grams of extracted silica powder was dispersed in 40 mL ethanol and 20 mL distilled water for 2-3 h, followed by the addition of 5-10 mL acetic acid and heating at 60-70°C for 1-2 h. The formulation was padded onto dyed fabric, dried at 100°C for 2 min, and cured at 130°C for 2 min. Three fabric conditions were evaluated in the warp direction: an untreated white control, a reactive-dyed control, and dyed fabric receiving the silica finish. A provisional n=5 reporting framework is presented using five specimen-level entries per condition and mean ± SD summaries. These replicate entries are centred on the original recorded observations and should be replaced with actual replicate measurements before submission. The provisional means reproduce the original central values: 215.82 N, 6.953%, and 8.085 N for the white control; 237.11 N, 10.36%, and 6.496 N for the dyed control; and 197.03 N, 10.83%, and 4.915 N for the dyed + silica finish. Relative to the dyed comparator, the central-value contrast corresponds to a 16.9% decrease in maximum tensile force, a 4.5% increase in elongation at maximum force, and a 24.3% decrease in mean peak tear force. The observed direction indicates that the current silica-rich inorganic formulation substantially alters load transfer and tear propagation; however, replicated testing is required before statistical or commercial claims are made.