Professor of IPB Utilizes Wastes into High-Quality Composites
Today, another Professor’s scientific orationwas held by Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). One of the Professors of the Faculty of Forestry, Prof.Dr.Ir.Muh.YusramMassijaya, MS,presented his scientific oration on "Development ofComposite Products to Support Wood Processing Industryin Indonesia". In his oration Prof. Muh.Yusram stated, "Bio-based composites is any combination of two or more resources held together by some type of mastic or matrix system”.
Prof. Muh. Yusram also stated, "The constraints encounter by our composites industry is the dwindling of raw materials, the increasing demands, the higher cost of production, and decreasing quality of raw materials. The solutions we offer are the utilization of alternative raw materials, improving process technology for the production, and the most important of all is innovation of the products".
"To improve the efficiency in the utilization of forest resources it is necessary to apply the concept of" zero waste", i.e. the entire forest biomass utilization. The types of timber industry capable to apply the concept of "zero waste" is a bio-based composite industry, because this type of company is able to process all kinds of biomass containing lignocellulose into high-quality composite products ", said Prof. Muh. Yusram.
In the future composite raw material is not always from the wood, especially large-diameter of woods from natural forests. "Some of the research we’ve done shows that agricultural waste, oil palm, bamboo, plastic waste, paper and cardboard can be used as raw materials of high quality composite products" said Prof. Dr..Muh.Yusram. "However, in the near future, the prospective raw material for bio-based compositesfrom the wood processing industry is small-diameter wood from plantation andsocial forests, logging forests waste, waste wood processing industry, bamboo, and palm oil waste," added Prof. Muh. Yusram.
The innovation of composite products is one of the keysin solving Indonesia’s wood processing industry in order to survive and thrive in the future. On this occasion, Prof. Muh.Yusramexplained such innovation he made. "One of which is the bamboo and lower branches of palm made for zephyr board. This board can be used as building materials and furniture, it’s a wasteutilization. I predict in the future they will be greatly demanded asthey are green products, we do not cut down forests but utilize waste into high-quality composite products ".
"The utilization of small diameter logs, bamboo and lignocellulosic wastes as raw materials of Indonesia’s wood processing industry in the future should not be an option, but it is a must due to the availability of raw materials. Bio-based composites technology is capable to produce high-quality composite products from waste. Therefore, improving the cooperation between government, researchers, businessmen and the public is really required to disseminate the research results for the advancement and prosperity of the Indonesian people", added Prof.Dr.Ir.Muh.Yusram.(Wied).
