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Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations in Indonesia are increasing over the past few years. After economic productivity, however, the unproductive oil palm trunks are felled and mostly go to waste, especially the inner part of the oil palm trunk (IOPT). There are several modification methods to utilize IOPT, such as impregnation and densification. Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) is a common resin used for impregnation in composite industries because it is non-toxic and has excellent physical and mechanical properties but it has never been applied for the impregnation of IOPT. This study aimed to analyze the effect of densification on the physical and mechanical properties of the inner part of oil palm trunk (IOPT) impregnated using methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) resin to obtain valuable information regarding the efficient utilization of unproductive oil palm trunks. IOPT was densified and compregnated with compression ratios (CRs) of 20% and 30%. The physical properties (density, moisture content (MC), and water absorption (WA)) and mechanical properties (modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and hardness) of the compregnated samples were better than those of the densified samples. The density and mechanical properties at CR 30% were higher than those at CR 20%. The improvements in density, MC, and WA of the compregnated IOPT with CR 30% were 127%, 54%, and 70%, respectively, compared to that in untreated IOPT. Furthermore, improvements in the MOE, MOR, and hardness of the compregnated IOPT with CR 30% were 489%, 379%, and 393%, respectively. The mechanical properties of the compregnated IOPT at CR 20% and 30% increased two- to three-fold from strength class V in control IOPT to strength class III in compregnated IOPT with CR 20% and to strength class II in compregnated IOPT with CR 30%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global agreements mandate the international community, including Indonesia, to commit to reducing the risks and impacts of climate change. Indonesia's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will contribute to the achievement of the Convention's goals by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing climate resilience. This commitment must be supported by a wide range of actions, including the use of timber. Despite the fact that wood contains carbon, limited information is currently available on the size of the wood utilisation subsector's contribution to reducing GHG emissions. More research is needed on the magnitude of wood products' contribution to climate change mitigation. This study assessed the amount of carbon stored in wood used as a building material. Purposive sampling was used to select the cities with rapid housing development surrounding Jakarta's capital city, i.e., the Bekasi District, East Jakarta City, Depok City, and Bogor District. The amount of carbon stored in wood was calculated according to EN 16449:2014-06 and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS/EDX) analysis. Results show that wood is currently only used in door frames, door leaves, window frames, shutters, and vents. The carbon stored on the components ranges from 450 to 680 kg (average of 554.50 kg) in each housing unit, according to the EN 16449:2014-06 calculation. The weight range is between 130 and 430 kg (average of 400.42 kg) according to EDX/S carbon analysis. With an increase in housing needs of 800,000 units per year, this amount has the potential to store 0.44 million tons of carbon over the lifespan of the products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hibiscus macrophyllus tree is widely planted in Indonesia especially on Java Island. It has several advantages to be developed commercially as a community or plantation forest compared to the famous introduced species Falcataria moluccana and Anthocephalus spp., including faster growth, higher wood density, and better stem morphology (straighter, more rounded, and lesser branches). However, information about the basic properties of this wood grown in plantations is limited. This study aimed to investigate the anatomical properties of H. macrophyllus and their variation at three ages (8, 12 and 16 years old), as well as to predict the mature wood development by using radial variation in fiber length, microfibril angle (MFA), and wood density from pith toward the bark as the indicators. The wood samples were obtained from a community forest area at Ciamis Regency, West Java Province. Furthermore, anatomical characteristics were examined through wood slides following the IAWA List, while fibre and vessel element dimensions were measured through macerated specimens prepared by modified Franklin's method. The MFA was determined by X-Ray Diffraction, while wood density was measured in line with British Standard 373-57. The results showed that the anatomical structures were not influenced by tree age, except for wood porosity, and fibre and vessel element dimensions. The 16-year-old tree tended to be semi-ring-porous, the younger trees were diffuse-porous, while the fiber and vessel element length, as well as the diameter, were decreased. Meanwhile, the wall thickness was increased. The fibre length, MFA, and wood density were useful indicators for wood maturity that seemed to be developed at about 11 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]