SIFAT FISIK MATERIAL PAPAN KOMPOSITE BERBAHAN SERAT TEBU DENGAN MATRIX RESIN POLYESTER

Sugar cane fiber is an organic waste mostly produced by sugar factories in Indonesia such as inGorontalo Province. If it is properly processed, it will have high economic value and will help the community’seconomy during Covid 19 pandemic. This fiber, however, is easy to find, and it is not dangerous for humanhealth. The important thing is that this fiber can be degraded naturally. Hence it can be used as compositereinforcingfiberwhichcanhelpovercomeenvironmentproblems.Thisstudyaimedatinvestigatingthephysical characteristics of natural fiber composite-based new material with characteristics and structures whichcanbeusedforautomotiveindustry.Themethodappliedinthisstudywasbydoingphysicaltestsuchasdensity,watercontent,waterabsorption level,andthicknessdevelopmentwith random-pattern treatmentsconsisting of fraction variations of sugar cane fiber volumes of 10%, 30%, and 50% and fraction variations ofresin volumes of 90%, 80%, and 70%. Each treatment consisted of 3 specimens with determined size, and theywere tested in laboratory in order to find out the physical. Findings revealed that the highest density was inspecimen 3 with fiber volume of 50% and resin volume of 70%, and the average value was 1.162 g/cm3.Meanwhile, the highest water content was specimen 1 with fiber volume of 10% and resin volume of 90%obtaining value of 0.51%. The water absorption level during 24 hours that obtained maximal result and value of6.89%wasspecimen2withfibervolumeof30%andresinvolumeof80%.Theresultforthicknessdevelopment during 24 hours that obtained value of 10% was specimen 1 with fiber volume of 10% and resinvolume of 90%. If it is validated with Indonesian National Standard, some of physical test results should befurther formulated to get result based on Indonesian National Standard. Regarding the explanation, the fibervolume and resin volume fractions highly influenced the natural fiber (sugar cane fiber) composite-based newmaterialmakinganditcanbe usedfor automotiveindustr