DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/presipitasi.v0i0.%25p

Effects of Steam Pretreatment and Delignification Time on Balsa Wood Polyvinyl Alcohol Composites

*Sena Maulana orcid scopus  -  Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia
Fajar Aditya Julyatmojo  -  Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia
David Raja Endar Ambarita  -  Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia
Laras Widi Setia Ningrum  -  Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia
Jabosar Hamonangan Panjaitan  -  Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia
Muhammad Iqbal Maulana  -  Research Center for Biomass and Bioproducts, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
Sarah Augustina  -  Research Center for Biomass and Bioproducts, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
Muhammad Aizat Abdul Ghani  -  Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia

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Abstract
The effect of controlled steam pretreatment on polyvinyl alcohol/balsa wood composites was investigated. Controlled steam was applied prior to subsequent sodium chlorite-acetic acid delignification of balsa wood and its impregnation with polyvinyl acetate (PVA). Low-density balsa veneers were either not subjected to steam or were steamed at 126 °C for 1 h. Wood delignification was carried out in a 1% solution of sodium chlorite-acetic acid at 80 °C for 45, 90, or 180 min. The samples were further bleached in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and vacuum-impregnated with 5% PVA. The Wood-PVA system was monitored using color, tensile, FTIR, and X-ray diffraction analyses. The steam-pretreated and delignified for 90 min sample (90S) exhibited the best characteristics, showing a tensile strength of 3.39 MPa and Young’s modulus of 112.36 MPa. The obtained data indicated continuous removal of lignin and hemicellulose, much stronger PVA-cellulose interactions, and preservation of cellulose in its native cellulose I state without a significant decrease in crystallinity. The proposed treatment represents a reproducible way to convert balsa wood into a stiff, formaldehyde-free, and low-density composite material available for implementation in modern building technologies.
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Keywords: Balsa wood; delignification; polyvinyl alcohol; steam pretreatment; tensile properties; x-ray diffraction
Funding: Institut Teknologi Sumatera under contract 1998bi/IT9.2.1/PT.01.03/2025; Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Republic of Indonesia under contract 1483az/IT9.2.1/PT.01.03/2025

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Section: Original Research Article
Language : EN
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