Surface Treatment Effects of Sugarcane Fiber and Addition of Basalt Powder on Flammability and Mechanical Properties of Sugarcane Fiber/Basalt Composites for Particle Board Applications

Sugarcane bagasse which is generally only wasted or burned after the sugarcane extracted will cause environmental pollution. Sugarcane bagasse contains fibers that can be used as reinforcement in composite materials. Utilization of sugarcane bagasse fiber made into particle board composite material in addition to reducing waste is also an added value of the waste itself. Alkalization treatment of sugarcane fibers with NaOH solution at concentrations 3%, 5% and 7% was carried out to modify the surface to improve the bond between fibers and epoxy resin. The alkalization results were tested for bending properties to see the effectiveness of fiber treatment. The best treatment is added basalt powder as a material that has heat resistance with different sizes of mesh 100, 200, and 325 to make particle board composites. The particleboard composites were tested for flammability, bending properties and strength. The results show that treatment with NaOH solution is quite effective in improving fiber and resin bonding as evidenced by the results of the bending test which increased significantly by 179% after NaOH treatment compared to without treatment. Treatment with 5% NaOH showed the best bending strength 15.40 MPa. After adding basalt powder even though it has not been able to stop the flame but the rate of flame propagation is reduced from 27.37 mm/min to 20.90 mm/min, this indicates that basalt powder works but not yet optimal. Bending and compressive strength increases when basalt powder is added compared without basalt, getting smaller basalts size the strength increases. Composites made from sugarcane bagasse fibers, basalt and epoxy resin have potential to reach the minimum standard of mechanical properties for particleboard applications.