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Environmentally friendly materials have become an exciting topic of research in preventing environmental pollution in Indonesia. Natural fiber-reinforced composite is one of the ecologically friendly bio-composites. The purpose of this study was to analyse the water content, the swelling, and the nail head-pulled-through strength of Sumberejo kenaf fiber reinforced epoxy (KF/EP) composites according to SNI 01-4449-2006 standard. The kenaf fiber was treated with NaOH solution before it was used as reinforcement. The KF/EP composite laminas were fabricated by Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion (VARI) method with a stack of (0°/0°/0°/0°) and (0°/90°/0°/90°). These laminas were compared to pristine epoxy samples. These composites were categorized as high-density fiber-boards (HDF). Higher value of nail head pull-through strength was found in the KF/EP (0°/90°/0°/90°) with the value of (5,11 ± 0,77) kgf/mm2 and minimum values of water content and swelling were found in the KF/EP (0°/0°/0°/0°) with values (4,34 ± 0,18) %, and (4,07 ± 0,50) % respectively. However, these two composites complied with SNI 01-4449-2006 standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber plants are overgrown in Indonesia as one of tropical countries. Natural fibers have many benefits, namely environmentally friendly, recyclable materials, flexible, and can be used as reinforcement in polymer composites. This research aimed to analyze the hardness, impact, and fire resistance properties on Sumberejo kenaf fiber reinforced epoxy composites with the fiber orientations of 0°/0°/0°/0° and 0°/90°/0°/90°. The kenaf fiber was alkaline treated before it was used as reinforcement and the composites were fabricated by Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion technique. Furthermore, the composites surfaces, before and after flammability test, were observed. SNI 01-4449-2006 was used as density standard for fiber-board and these composites were categorized as High-Density Fiber-Boards. The 0°/0°/0°/0° and 0°/90°/0°/90° Sumberejo kenaf fiber reinforced epoxy composites had similar values of hardness and impact strength, which were (71.48 ± 0.69) HD and (72.4 ± 1.01) HD; and (32.61 ± 1.28) J/cm2 and (33.03 ± 1.05) J/cm2 respectively. Meanwhile, the 0°/90°/0°/90° composites had better combustion rate than the 0°/0°/0°/0° composites, with a value of (14.0 ± 0.2) mm/minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to develop the blue print of Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) in the supply chain network of Kenaf Natural Fibre Agroindustry (KNFA) which has not been much studied. This paper will be an important contribution to KNFA studies in Indonesia. This blueprint refers to the two echelons of the KNFA supply chain network, namely the upstream supply chain network (KNFA) and the middle-stream supply chain network (textile industry). The simulation of the inventory collaboration model in the upstream supply chain have been carried out on the Net Beans IDE 12.0 application. Consecutive research will carry out a simulation of the inventory collaboration model in the middle-stream supply chain network, and develop a digital platform with an Android studio application for smartphones based on android, and Net beans application for desktops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of natural fibers as reinforcement in composites has been developed by researchers because of their eco-friendly, renewable, and potential replacement for synthetic fibers. Sumberejo kenaf fiber is one of the abundant natural fibers in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to obtain the mechanical properties of Sumberejo kenaf fiber/ epoxy composites. The alkaline-treated fibers were arranged in 0°/0°/0°/0° and 0°/90°/0°/90° orientations. Composites with 40 wt% fiber content were fabricated using hand lay-up and followed by vacuum bagging method. The results showed that the tensile strength and flexural strength of Sumberejo kenaf fiber/ epoxy composites with 0°/0°/0°/0° fiber orientation were 11.73% and 37.71% higher than the composites with 0°/90°/0°/90° fiber orientation with the values of (91.18±9.85) MPa and (116.57±7.91) MPa, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations on the failure surface of the composites showed that the composites with 0°/0°/0°/0° fiber orientation had better fiber and matrix adhesion and lower voids content than the composites with 0°/90°/0°/90° fiber orientation. Referring to Indonesian National Standard 01-4449-2006 for composite fiberboard, Sumberejo kenaf fiber/ epoxy composites were categorized as a T2 45 type high-density fiberboard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia has released 13 varieties of kenaf derived from the refining of several introduced lines and hybridization. Lines selection was carried out to obtain lines that have certain superior characters. This study aimed to determine the agronomic characters that can be used as secondary characters for selection to support the developing process of new superior varieties. A total of 70 kenaf accessions from Indonesian Sweetener and Fiber Crops Research Institute (ISFCRI) germplasm collection, was mainly introduced accessions from International Jute Organization (IJO). Primary data of the 16 quantitative morphological characters were observed based on the total accessions to be subjected for analysis using correlation, path analysis, and scatter plot. The characters of the first flower phase, 50% flower blooming, fiber harvest phase, plant height, diameter, and dry core weight had a significant and positive correlation coefficient with the dry weight of kenaf fiber. The dry weight of the core showed the best direct effect and total effect value, i.e. 0.88 and 0.84, respectively. Based on dry core and fiber weight characters, three distribution clusters of 70 kenaf accessions were obtained. In quadrant III, two accessions potentially produce the best dry fiber and they can be considered a source of parent in developing a new superior variety of kenaf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]