BIOCGAR CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCHES (Elaeis guineensis Jacq)

Biochar is black charcoal obtained from pyrolysis or heating with limited or no oxygen. Biochar can be used as a soil amendment in agriculture. This study aims to produce and characterize biochar made from oil palm empty bunches. The making of biochar is done by simple pyrolysis, while the characterization is to determine pH, moisture content, ash content, and determination of functional groups using the FTIR method. The results obtained from this study are; The yield of biochar obtained was 125 grams (31%), pH 10.50, water content 7.8%, ash content 21.1% and the groups detected through FTIR analysis were OH at wave number 3262.85 cm-1, C = C at wave number 1576, CO at wave number 1377 cm-1, and CO at wave number 1040 cm-1Keywords: biochar, characterization, pyrolysis, FTIR, oil palm empty bunche