Lignocellulosic fibers are materials with a low resistance to shear forces during filtration due to their high hydrophobicity. Hence the aim of this study was designed to increase the fiber’s resistance to breaking forces. A composite design centered with four variables (soaking time, stirring speed, ratio of volume of solution to fiber mass and soda (NaoH) concentration) was used to optimize tensile strength using response surface methodology (RSM). After mechanical extraction of the banana pseudo-stem fibers, they were characterized.. The results showed that the fiber yield extraction, cellulose and lignin content were 4 ±0.7%, 50.9 ±2% and 32.3 ±4% respectively and that the breaking strength was 52±5 N. The optimum conditions for chemical treatment of the fibers were; soaking time 0.23 hour, stirring speed 10 rpm, ratio volume of solution to fiber mass ratio 114.3ml/g and soda concentration 4.51%, which also increased the fiber's resistance to breaking forces from 52 to 63N. The results also show that alkaline treatment improves the resistance of banana pseudo-stem to breaking forces as well as their lifespan. But the soaking time, the stirring speed and the ratio between the mass of the fibres and the concentration of soda must be respected. Keywords:

Keywords: Fibers, lignocellulosic biomass, banana pseudo-stem, filtration