The use of natural fibers as alternative materials continues to attract attention because they are environmentally friendly, economical, and readily available. Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is one natural fiber with potential for such applications. This study investigated the effect of different immersion times in potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution on the tensile properties of single elephant grass fibers. We used an experimental method with 10% KOH alkaline treatment and immersion times of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours. Tensile testing was conducted using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM) to determine tensile stress, strain, and elastic modulus. The results showed that immersion time affected the mechanical properties of the fibers. The highest tensile stress, strain, and elastic modulus were obtained after 8 hours of immersion, reaching 8868.11 MPa, 14%, and 63523 MPa, respectively the alkaline treatment removed impurities from the fiber surface, improving its ability to withstand tensile loading. Therefore, 8 hours of immersion in 10% KOH provided the optimum result and demonstrated the potential of elephant grass fiber as reinforcement for environmentally friendly composites.
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