Structure analysis of three non-wood materials for liner paper

The potential use of sago pith waste, bamboo, and water hyacinth based on the characteristics of raw materials to make liner paper were studied. The analysis conducted covered the analysis of physical characteristics, chemical components, morphology (SEM), functional groups (FTIR), and crystallinity (XRD). The pulp from the three kinds of fiber was molded into paper with a certain formulation. The parameters of pulp and paper observed covered the alkaline consumption, Kappa number, pulp yield, and paper physical characteristics (grammage, bursting strength, Ring Crush Test/RCT, water content, and water absorption). The chosen paper was the paper whose characteristics resembled the quality parameter of liner paper used by the paper industry and the standard in accordance with the Indonesia's National Standard (SNI) 14-0095-1996. The microscope images showed that the three said raw materials have long fibers: sago pith waste and water hyacinth has fibers measuring respectively 1.89 +/- 0.90 and 2.07 +/- 0.39 mm, resembling hard wood, whereas bamboos have longer fibers measuring 4.61 +/- 0.72 mm, resembling soft wood. Bamboos have the best fiber composition and characteristics for pulp and liner paper. The two paper formulas that meet the criteria for liner paper are bamboo and bamboo+water hyacinth.