**1. Introduction**

*Opuntia* (Cactaceae) is a cactus (non-forest and perennial plant) from tropical, subtropical, arid, and semiarid regions, which exists in the form of a shrub or a tree and has an original-look/unique morphology with a height of up to 5 m and produces a sturdy trunk as it ages [1, 2]. This particular species exhibits extraordinary water storage capacity and is known for their drought-tolerant characteristics (xerophytic) [1, 3]. A wide variety of this species and subspecies has been developed, distinguished by spiny or spineless cladodes, cladode shape, branching, fruit color, pulp color, epicuticle wax morphology, and many other properties [4–7]. Cactaceae is a great tree-like cactus formed by numerous up-flat branches (cladodes) [8, 9]. In branches, cellulosic fibrous tissues are slowly grown and arranged in parallel and fuse laterally with neighboring ones, forming a flat net-like structure [10], strongly similar to the cellular structure of *Luffa cylindrical* fibers [9]. This natural cellular structure is made up of an interconnected network of fibers struts, which form the edges (angle situated between two struts) and faces of cells, and

possesses excellent mechanical behaviors in spite of its low density [11]. Their specific mechanical properties are due to the hierarchical composite organization [12, 13]. Cactaceae is mainly considered as a rich plant of natural food mineral, protein, vitamin, dietary fiber, and antioxidant compound which can represent an important product to prevent some health problems, such as diabetes, cancer, cataracts, macular degeneration, and neurological and cardiovascular diseases [7, 14–18]. The fruit syrup of *Opuntia* has a powerful antioxidant effect and exhibited effective antimicrobial activity against *Staphylococcus aureus* and *Staphylococcus epidermidis* [19]. Indeed, Cactaceae by product (cladodes, fruit peels, seeds, etc.) was used for non-food applications by testing their applicability to decontaminate wastewater through both the adsorption and coagulation–flocculation processes [8, 20]. It also will be a valuable resource for new applications and devoted to the future trends in terms of applications of natural fibers in different sectors. Furthermore, it is considered as one of the strongest and stiffest available lignocellulose fiber from renewable plant biomass [8, 20, 21]. Recently, the developing needs for new alternative green-based product have led to enlarge the discovery and the research of new renewable resources of natural fibers. This chapter addresses this research and gives an overview of potential exploitations of a new renewable non-woody lignocellulose source from plant biomass which is *Opuntia* (Cactaceae). It is interesting to point out there are only very few reports on the use of *Opuntia* fibers as raw material for paper manufacturing and as natural filler in reinforced polymer composite sectors, and they have been found to be the most interesting and discerning materials.

The pulp and paper industry, one of the largest and diversified industrial sectors in the world, produced every year more than 400 million tons of paper by different manufacturing methods using wood raw materials [22] and many types of nonwood raw materials such as bagasse (sugarcane fibers), cereal straw, bamboo, reeds, esparto grass, jute, flax, and sisal [23]. For this reason, the selection of suitable non-wood fibers is critical for the yield of fibrous fraction, ease of processing, quality, and cost of the final fiber-based product [24]. *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) was used for paper manufacturing as non-woody fibers by applying two different pulping processes. The first procedure is based on the utilization of semi-chemical treatment using a soft operation of chemical delignification in sodahydrogen peroxide (soda-HP) mixture and mechanical grinding for fiber deliberation [25]. The second procedure is a chemical treatment with soda-anthraquinone mixture (soda-AQ) [26].

matrix structure, and they take loads from the matrix to the fiber in a very easy and effective way [31]. The arrangement and orientation of fibers define the properties and structural behavior of the composite material [32, 33]. *Opuntia* fibers were used as a natural filler to manufacture FRPC such as cactus fiber/polyester [21] and cactus fiber/polylactic acid [34]. This chapter provides an overview of the valorization and of *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) fibers in new green material science such as paper and bio-composite materials using two thermoplastic polymers which are polyvinyl

*The flowchart of (i)* Opuntia *(Cactaceae) raw material obtained; (ii) pulping and paper manufacturing; and*

alcohol and styrene butadiene rubber. The valorization ways of *Opuntia*

**2.1 Fibrous layer extraction and characterizations: morphology, geometric**

green process in relation to their multifunctional features and its use as a raw

The isolations of fibrous network layers from *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) trunk using a

(Cactaceae) fibers have been given in the flowchart in **Figure 1**.

*Novel Trend in the Use of* Opuntia *(Cactaceae) Fibers as Potential Feedstock…*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92112*

**2. Raw material characterizations:** *Opuntia* **(Cactaceae)**

**dimensions, and mechanical behaviors**

**Figure 1.**

**145**

*(iii) green composite elaborations.*

The development of fiber-reinforced composite material as an alternative over many conventional materials has been characterized by their eco-friendliness regarding the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, durability, and its significant enhancement in the structural, mechanical, and tribological properties [27–30]. The natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs) were used to replace conventional metal/material and synthetic fiber/material in various applications in order to reduce weight and for energy conservation. Different kinds of natural fibers are mainly used for developing natural FRPCs with high specific properties, cost effectiveness, and renewability. Plant fibers include leaf fibers (sisal and abaca), bast fibers (flax, jute, hemp, ramie, and kenaf), grass and reed fibers (rice husk), core fibers (hemp, jute, and kenaf), seed fibers (cotton, kapok, and coir), and all other types, which may include wood and roots [31]. FRPCs are also classified according to their content, i.e., based polymeric material and the filler one. The based polymer, which binds or holds the filler material in structures, is termed as a matrix or a binder material, while the filler material is present in the form of sheets, fragments, particles, bundle, or whiskers of natural fiber [31]. Fibers can be placed unidirectionally or bidirectionally in the specific orientation into the

*Novel Trend in the Use of* Opuntia *(Cactaceae) Fibers as Potential Feedstock… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92112*

#### **Figure 1.**

possesses excellent mechanical behaviors in spite of its low density [11]. Their specific mechanical properties are due to the hierarchical composite organization [12, 13]. Cactaceae is mainly considered as a rich plant of natural food mineral, protein, vitamin, dietary fiber, and antioxidant compound which can represent an important product to prevent some health problems, such as diabetes, cancer, cataracts, macular degeneration, and neurological and cardiovascular diseases [7, 14–18]. The fruit syrup of *Opuntia* has a powerful antioxidant effect and exhibited effective antimicrobial activity against *Staphylococcus aureus* and *Staphylococcus epidermidis* [19]. Indeed, Cactaceae by product (cladodes, fruit peels, seeds, etc.) was used for non-food applications by testing their applicability to decontaminate wastewater through both the adsorption and coagulation–flocculation processes [8, 20]. It also will be a valuable resource for new applications and devoted to the future trends in terms of applications of natural fibers in different sectors. Furthermore, it is considered as one of the strongest and stiffest available lignocellulose fiber from renewable plant biomass [8, 20, 21]. Recently, the developing needs for new alternative green-based product have led to enlarge the discovery and the research of new renewable resources of natural fibers. This chapter addresses this research and gives an overview of potential exploitations of a new renewable non-woody lignocellulose source from plant biomass which is *Opuntia* (Cactaceae). It is interesting to point out there are only very few reports on the use of *Opuntia* fibers as raw material for paper manufacturing and as natural filler in reinforced polymer composite sectors, and they have been found to be the most interesting and

*Invasive Species - Introduction Pathways, Economic Impact, and Possible Management Options*

The pulp and paper industry, one of the largest and diversified industrial sectors in the world, produced every year more than 400 million tons of paper by different manufacturing methods using wood raw materials [22] and many types of nonwood raw materials such as bagasse (sugarcane fibers), cereal straw, bamboo, reeds, esparto grass, jute, flax, and sisal [23]. For this reason, the selection of suitable non-wood fibers is critical for the yield of fibrous fraction, ease of processing, quality, and cost of the final fiber-based product [24]. *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) was used for paper manufacturing as non-woody fibers by applying two different pulping processes. The first procedure is based on the utilization of semi-chemical treatment using a soft operation of chemical delignification in sodahydrogen peroxide (soda-HP) mixture and mechanical grinding for fiber deliberation [25]. The second procedure is a chemical treatment with soda-anthraquinone

The development of fiber-reinforced composite material as an alternative over

many conventional materials has been characterized by their eco-friendliness regarding the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment, durability, and its significant enhancement in the structural, mechanical, and tribological properties [27–30]. The natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs) were used to replace conventional metal/material and synthetic fiber/material in various applications in order to reduce weight and for energy conservation. Different kinds of natural fibers are mainly used for developing natural FRPCs with high specific properties, cost effectiveness, and renewability. Plant fibers include leaf fibers (sisal and abaca), bast fibers (flax, jute, hemp, ramie, and kenaf), grass and reed fibers (rice husk), core fibers (hemp, jute, and kenaf), seed fibers (cotton, kapok, and coir), and all other types, which may include wood and roots [31]. FRPCs are also classified according to their content, i.e., based polymeric material and the filler one. The based polymer, which binds or holds the filler material in structures, is termed as a matrix or a binder material, while the filler material is present in the form of sheets, fragments, particles, bundle, or whiskers of natural fiber [31]. Fibers can be placed unidirectionally or bidirectionally in the specific orientation into the

discerning materials.

mixture (soda-AQ) [26].

**144**

*The flowchart of (i)* Opuntia *(Cactaceae) raw material obtained; (ii) pulping and paper manufacturing; and (iii) green composite elaborations.*

matrix structure, and they take loads from the matrix to the fiber in a very easy and effective way [31]. The arrangement and orientation of fibers define the properties and structural behavior of the composite material [32, 33]. *Opuntia* fibers were used as a natural filler to manufacture FRPC such as cactus fiber/polyester [21] and cactus fiber/polylactic acid [34]. This chapter provides an overview of the valorization and of *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) fibers in new green material science such as paper and bio-composite materials using two thermoplastic polymers which are polyvinyl alcohol and styrene butadiene rubber. The valorization ways of *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) fibers have been given in the flowchart in **Figure 1**.

## **2. Raw material characterizations:** *Opuntia* **(Cactaceae)**
