PEMANFAATAN SERAT DAUN MENGKUANG (Pandanus Artocapus) SEBAGAI BAHAN BAKU PEMBUATAN KOMPOSIT

The use of composite as an alternative metal material substitute in engineering penetrated on the other major such as property and architecture. This is due to composite had advantages such as stronger, corrosion-resistant, more economical, etc. Composite been composed from matrix and filler which function as an adhesive or fastener and external risk protection respectively. Generally, the fiber usually used as filler was synthetic fiber like glass fiber, carbon and graphite. Natural fiber consumption such as mengkuang leaves as synthetic fiber successor would reduce production costs. It because natural fiber treating cost was cheaper than synthetic fiber. Recycled Polypropylene (Rpp) that came from drink water package could be an adhesive for composite to reducing plastic waste. The purpose of this study was carried out to explore the properties of composite board from mengkuang leaves fiber and adhesive Recycled Polypropylene with varying the concentration of NaOH. The concentration of NaOH for mengkuang leaves fiber extraction are 0%, 1%, 3% and 5%. In this study, NaOH concentration optimization was investigated, with regards to know it effects on the quality of the fiber board based on JIS A 5908-2003 and SNI- 03-2105-2006. In the manufacture of composite board was done by the process of extraction and hotpress. Mengkuang leaves fiber composite was made by 20 cm x 15 cm mold size and pressed by hotpress at a temperature of 200°C, pressure of 2 bar for 30 minutes. From the result of the analysis of physicals and mechanicals properties, the optimum concentration is 3% NaOH with water content of 3,7222%, water absorption of 4,4513%, density of 0,7568% gr/cm3, thickness swelling at 0,5231%, tensile strength at 23,7566 kgf/cm2 and impact strength at 23,0496 kgf/cm2