A. K. Norani; R. Hashim; O. Sulaiman; S. Hiziroglu; S. Ujang; W. N. A. Wan Nadhari
Abstract
The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the biodegradation behaviour of experimental particleboard bonded with modified 30 % of PVOH, 70 % of Oil palm starch and 3 % of nano silicon dioxide (SiO2). Boric acid at 2 % was also added as a cross-linker to PVOH in modified oil palm starch to enhance ...
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The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the biodegradation behaviour of experimental particleboard bonded with modified 30 % of PVOH, 70 % of Oil palm starch and 3 % of nano silicon dioxide (SiO2). Boric acid at 2 % was also added as a cross-linker to PVOH in modified oil palm starch to enhance decay resistant for the samples. All the particleboards were evaluated by soil burial, borer and fungal strains tests. The samples were then compared with particleboard bonded with native oil palm starch and commercial urea formaldehyde (UF). The results indicated that particleboards bonded with modified PVOH/Oil palm starch were more resistant than particleboard bonded with their native starch and thus can be used as a potential binder for green particleboard in future. The SiO2 also showed a significant effect towards modified oil palm starch as compared to their native oil palm starch and commercial binder.
V. S. Jie Wei; C. Han Bing; Agus Saptoro; J. Nandong
Abstract
Composting is a biochemical process in a controlled aerobic environment where thermophilic microorganisms stabilize organic waste substrates into valuable humus-like products. Three parameters which are known to affect the composting process including temperature, aeration rate and composting time. This ...
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Composting is a biochemical process in a controlled aerobic environment where thermophilic microorganisms stabilize organic waste substrates into valuable humus-like products. Three parameters which are known to affect the composting process including temperature, aeration rate and composting time. This research aims at developing a model to describe the relative influence of different temperatures, aeration rates and reaction time on the composting process and how it affects the final quality of EFB compost produced. EFB samples were mixed with urea as a source of nitrogen and fresh compost as inoculum. The composting process was carried out in a composting test bench for a total of 42 days. The moisture content was found to be significantly affected by temperature and reaction time. Carbon loss was significantly affected by all three factors. Nitrogen content was affected by aeration rate, reaction time as well as interaction between temperature and reaction time. Changes in total ions over time showed a positive correlation with the value of conductivity (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.853) and the largest reduction in C/N ratio (from 30.2:1 to 17.6:1) was obtained at temperature of 40°C and aeration rate of 0.4 L/min kg. The results of this study could form a basis for palm oil mills to improve the quality of EFB composts produced within a short maturation period and with low C/N ratio.
