High-Performance Pineapple Leaf Briquettes Using Cassava Starch and Okra Mucilage Binders: Combustion, Fuel Quality, and Mechanical Characterization

High-Performance Pineapple Leaf Briquettes Using Cassava Starch and Okra Mucilage Binders: Combustion, Fuel Quality, and Mechanical Characterization | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article High-Performance Pineapple Leaf Briquettes Using Cassava Starch and Okra Mucilage Binders: Combustion, Fuel Quality, and Mechanical Characterization James Odur, Onyekwere Ojike, Joel Nwaeze Nwakaire This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8911565/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Due to the dual crisis of energy poverty and waste management, there is a need to harness biomass-solid-based energy from agricultural waste to improve energy access and enhance waste management, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the feasibility of producing briquettes from pineapple leaves using starch and okra mucilage binders. Proximate analysis, burning test, elemental analysis, and mechanical test were done. The binder concentrations used were 5%, 15%, 25%, and 35%. Results revealed that 25% okra binder briquettes performed better, with 76.58% volatile matter, 29.13 MJ/kg heating value, 3.57% moisture content, 41.30% carbon, 5.27% hydrogen, and 39.53% oxygen, of which all met the recommended standard. The heating value for the remaining concentrations (26.09–28.84 MJ/kg) all met the international standard. Also, the mechanical tests—density (581.63-750.14 kg/m³), shatter resistance (96.01%-99.96%), tumbling resistance (92.07% to 99.62%), compressive strength (7251.6-8886.2 KN/m²), and water resistance (exceeding 1080 minutes)—for all the binder concentrations were within the recommended international standard of briquettes. This ensures mechanical stability during handling and transportation. The findings revealed that pineapple leaves have significant potential as an alternative biomass source for briquette production capable of mitigating energy poverty in low-income countries. Pineapple energy briquette biomass binder Abelmoschus esculentus Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 08 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 25 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 24 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 23 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 23 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 23 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 03 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 02 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 18 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8911565","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":595725733,"identity":"a8ca9c67-f15d-488c-b1e9-54abed056069","order_by":0,"name":"James Odur","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFCCBAYGCTDj/AODD0CKjZ1oLYxnGApngLQwE6MFDJjPMHzmATMIaOBnzzH7YFGzTU6+7ezBzTa/tsnzMTMwfviYg1uLZM8b4xkSx24bG5w5l2yc23fbsI2ZgVly5jbcWgxu5BgzSLDdTtwgccDMOLfnNiNQCxszL0Et/27Xz5//wPy3Zc9te+K0SLbdTmA4cMbAmOHH7USCWiR7nhUzSAK9sOHAsQTD3obbyW3MjM14/cLPnryZWeLbbXn5hsMHDH78uW07v7354IePeLSAALMEjMXYBiYb8KsHKfkAZ/4hqHgUjIJRMApGIAAAuehUjinyp2EAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"University of Nigeria","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"James","middleName":"","lastName":"Odur","suffix":""},{"id":595725734,"identity":"9c06bf69-7a7b-47d7-bc3a-e140cdb5dc9e","order_by":1,"name":"Onyekwere Ojike","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Nigeria","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Onyekwere","middleName":"","lastName":"Ojike","suffix":""},{"id":595725735,"identity":"80eaf43f-c34c-483b-b22c-ee61ef2694fe","order_by":2,"name":"Joel Nwaeze Nwakaire","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Nigeria","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joel","middleName":"Nwaeze","lastName":"Nwakaire","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-18 18:10:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8911565/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8911565/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103582311,"identity":"7e70a670-8287-47aa-87ce-6647ffec588e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-27 10:27:22","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1255412,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"RevisedManuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8911565/v1_covered_5c239b6b-8782-448c-92f4-9347f9ef42d7.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"High-Performance Pineapple Leaf Briquettes Using Cassava Starch and Okra Mucilage Binders: Combustion, Fuel Quality, and Mechanical Characterization","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"energy-sustainability-and-society","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"esso","sideBox":"Learn more about [Energy, Sustainability and Society](https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"13705","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/13705/3","title":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","twitterHandle":"@OpenEnviron","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Pineapple, energy, briquette, biomass, binder, Abelmoschus esculentus","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8911565/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8911565/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eDue to the dual crisis of energy poverty and waste management, there is a need to harness biomass-solid-based energy from agricultural waste to improve energy access and enhance waste management, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the feasibility of producing briquettes from pineapple leaves using starch and okra mucilage binders. Proximate analysis, burning test, elemental analysis, and mechanical test were done. The binder concentrations used were 5%, 15%, 25%, and 35%. Results revealed that 25% okra binder briquettes performed better, with 76.58% volatile matter, 29.13 MJ/kg heating value, 3.57% moisture content, 41.30% carbon, 5.27% hydrogen, and 39.53% oxygen, of which all met the recommended standard. The heating value for the remaining concentrations (26.09\u0026ndash;28.84 MJ/kg) all met the international standard. Also, the mechanical tests\u0026mdash;density (581.63-750.14 kg/m\u0026sup3;), shatter resistance (96.01%-99.96%), tumbling resistance (92.07% to 99.62%), compressive strength (7251.6-8886.2 KN/m\u0026sup2;), and water resistance (exceeding 1080 minutes)\u0026mdash;for all the binder concentrations were within the recommended international standard of briquettes. This ensures mechanical stability during handling and transportation. The findings revealed that pineapple leaves have significant potential as an alternative biomass source for briquette production capable of mitigating energy poverty in low-income countries.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"High-Performance Pineapple Leaf Briquettes Using Cassava Starch and Okra Mucilage Binders: Combustion, Fuel Quality, and Mechanical Characterization","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-27 10:25:21","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8911565/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-08T08:27:30+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-05T15:36:52+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"164259895958518610902147115554493687124","date":"2026-03-25T12:55:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-24T12:22:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"186019094409642931660613350258281810933","date":"2026-03-23T15:57:40+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"179227289343572658806958997831063639418","date":"2026-03-23T13:22:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-23T11:57:57+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-03T19:57:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-02T14:35:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","date":"2026-02-18T17:54:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"energy-sustainability-and-society","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"esso","sideBox":"Learn more about [Energy, Sustainability and Society](https://energsustainsoc.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"13705","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/13705/3","title":"Energy, Sustainability and Society","twitterHandle":"@OpenEnviron","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f81ecf37-8252-45cb-8e4d-13e51f697de6","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 27th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-23T12:09:11+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-27 10:25:21","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8911565","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8911565","identity":"rs-8911565","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}