Judul: Modification of the Surface Properties of Oil Palm Empty Leaves (EFB) using the Delignification Method
Abstrak: Delignifikasi merupakan tahap awal yang bertujuan untuk mengurangi komposisi kimia non-selulosa di dalam serat TKKS. Delignifikasi dapat memutuskan ikatan non-selulosa dan melarutkan impuritas agar selulosa menjadi lebih mudah diurai. Tujuan penelitian ini dilaksanakan untuk memperoleh serat panjang TKKS dengan metode delignifikasi dan mengaplikasikannya dalam kain nonwoven serta mendapatkan kajian sifat mekanik. Proses pembuatan serat menggunakan pra-perlakuan sodium klorit-asam asetat (SC-AA) dan alkaline peroxide (AP), kemudian dilakukan pengujian komponen kimia menggunakan TAPPI. Hasil pengujian Sampel dikarakterisasi menggunakan alat TGA, FTIR, ASTM D 5035 dan ASTM D 5587. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa, berdasarkan uji termal (TGA) Sampel A6 memiliki kemampuan termal lebih baik dengan degradasi massa yang kecil 29% karena perlakuan AP mampu degradasi impuritas dan komposisi non-selulosa lebih tinggi dibandingkan perlakuan SC-AA. Sedangkan pada uji FTIR gugus fungsi pada bilangan gelombang 1030 cm-1 (C-O), 2300 cm-1 (O-H), 2900 cm-1 (C-H) menunjukkan terjadi penurunan persen transmitansi pada sampel A4 dan A6 dibandingkan kontrol. Hasil uji tarik dan sobek serat TKKS yang terbaik berdasarkan perlakuan alkaline peroxide yaitu pada nonwoven 4 lapis, semakin besar lapisannya maka kekuatan sobek dan tarik semakin tinggi. Delignifikasi terbaik adalah sampel alkaline peroxide (180 menit) dan berdasarkan uji mekanik serat TKKS nonwoven lapisan 4 dengan gramassi 1700 g/m2., Delignification is an initial step that aims to reduce the chemical composition of non-cellulose in the OPEFB fibers. Delignification can break non- cellulose bonds and dissolve impurities to make cellulose easier to break down. The purpose of this study was to obtain long fiber OPEFB by delignification method and apply it to non-woven fabrics and obtain a study of its mechanical properties. The fiber manufacturing process uses pre-treatment of sodium chlorite-acetic acid (SC-AA) and alkaline peroxide (AP), then testing the chemical components using TAPPI. Test results The samples were characterized using TGA, FTIR, ASTM D 5035 and ASTM D 5587 tools. The results showed that, based on the thermal test (TGA) Sample A6 had a better thermal ability with a small mass degradation of 29% because AP treatment was able to degrade impurity and non-cellulose composition was higher than SC-AA treatment. Whereas in the functional group FTIR test at wave numbers 1030 cm-1 (C-O), 2300 cm-1 (O-H), 2900 cm-1 (C-H) showed a decrease in the percentage of transmittance in samples A4 and A6 compared to controls. The best results of the tensile and tear test for OPEFB fibers based on alkaline peroxide treatment, namely on 4-layer nonwovens, the larger the layer, the higher the tear and tensile strength. The best delignification is alkaline peroxide sample (180 minutes) and based on mechanical test of 4 layer nonwoven OPEFB fibers with gramassiere 1700 g/m2.
Keyword: Alkaline peroxide (AP), Delignification, Chemical components, Nonwoven, OPEFB fibers, Sodium chlorite-acetic acid (SC-AA)