Sifat Fisik dan Kimia Ikatan Pembuluh pada Batang Kelapa Sawit (Physical And Chemical Properties Of Oil Palm Trunk Vascular Bundles)

The research objective was to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of oil palm trunk vascular bundles. Physical properties consist of dimension, moisture content, specific gravity, and cell wall specific gravity. Chemical properties consist of extractives content, lignin content, and ash material. The evaluation methods of physical properties followed the standard which applied in wood. The evaluation methods of chemical properties followed the TAPPI standard. The information of physical and mechanical properties were shown in three section of the trunk, namely bottom, middle, and peak with average of three replication. The results of physical properties were as follow: the length of vascular bundles 10.55 cm and the diameter 0.67 mm, moisture content was 11.70%, specific gravity was 0.44, and cell wall specific gravity was 0.52. The chemical properties were solubility of cold water, hot water, NaOH 1%, lignin content, and ash material were 13.4%, 15.89%, 23.62%,22.20%, and 2,12%, respectively

Properties of wood composite plastics made from predominant Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) plastics and their degradability in nature

To address concerns over plastics in the global environment, this project produced three wood plastics composites (WPCs) which could divert plastics from the waste stream into new materials. The three materials made had a ratio of 85%:15%, 90%:10%, and 95%:5% low density polyethylene (LDPE) to wood powder and were produced using the dissolution method. Physical and mechanical properties of each WPC were evaluated according to Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) A 5908:2003. Their degradation in nature was evaluated through a graveyard test and assay test conducted in Coptotermes curvignathus termites. Results showed that density, moisture content, thickness swelling and water absorption of the WPCs fulfilled the JIS standard. The mechanical properties of these composites also met the JIS standard, particularly their modulus of elasticity (MOE). Modulus of rupture (MOR) and internal bonding (IB) showed in lower values, depending on the proportion of wood filler they contained. Discoloration of the WPCs was observed after burial in the soil with spectra alteration of attenuated transmission reflectance (ATR) in the band of 500–1000 cm-1 which could be assigned to detach the interphase between wood and plastics. As termite bait, the WPCs decreased in weight, even though the mass loss was comparatively small. Micro Confocal Raman Imaging Spectrometer revealed that termite guts from insects feeding on WPCs contained small amounts of LDPE. This indicated termite can consume plastics in the form of WPCs. Thus WPCs made predominantly of plastics can be degraded in nature. While producing WPCs can assist in decreasing plastics litter in the environment, the eventual fate of the LDPE in termites is still unknown

The Influence of Wood Species and Type of Strands Arrangement to the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oriented Strands Board

This research was concerning in mat forming method for production of oriented strands board (OSB) in laboratory scale. There were three prototype models of OSB resulted in method applied, namely manually alignment's model, using former device tool adopted from Nishimura's model, and using former device made of plywood and wire's model. From the physical and mechanical properties evaluation, the best mat of OSB was resulted in the third model, using former device made of plywood and wire

Insights into the development of crystallinity in liquid urea-formaldehyde resins

Differently from most thermoset materials, urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins display the appearance of crystalline domains. In the effort of understanding the mechanism of formation of such crystals, wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied. Liquid UF resins with two different F/U mole ratios (i.e. 1.6 and 1.0) were investigated as a function of hardener level and curing times at room temperature. The WAXD results showed that the liquid UF resin with a low F/U mole ratio had a greater crystallinity than the one with a high F/U mole ratio. An advance in crystal formation in the low F/U mole UF resins was visible, especially in the first phases of curing. However, there were no significant differences in the degree of crystallinity as a function of hardener level. IR spectroscopy highlighted the important role of methylolated species in the formation of crystals. TEM results also confirmed the presence of crystals in all the considered liquid UF resins. The concentration of the hardener and the curing time were critical in shaping morphology and particle dispersion. As a function of the curing conditions, the globular structures present in the samples can aggregate into different morphologies, which can be fibrillar and also lamellar. The obtained results stress the importance of controlling the subtle interplay between crosslinking and formulation for the obtainment and control of the size, quantity and morphology of crystals in UF resins, and therefore for an effective tuning of their properties