Sawdust Research Articles

Waste-to-Energy Conversion of Rubberwood Residues for Enhanced Biomass Fuels: Process Optimization and Eco-Efficiency Evaluation

Torrefaction was applied to enhance the fuel properties of sawdust (SD) and bark wood (BW), biomass wastes from the rubberwood processing industry. Design Expert (DE) software was used in an experimental design to study the effects of affecting factors including torrefaction temperature and time as well as the biomass size towards the desirable properties such as HHV, mass yield, fixed carbon content, and eco-efficiency values. Promising results showed that the HHVs of the torrefied SD (25 MJ/kg) and BW (26 MJ/kg) were significantly increased when compared to preheated SD (17 MJ/kg) and preheated BW (17 MJ/kg) and in a range similar to that of coal (25–35 MJ/kg). The TGA, FTIR, biomass compositions, and O/C ratios suggested that thermochemical reactions played a significant role in the torrefaction at which thermal degradation coupled with possible in situ chemical reactions took place, to some extent. The optimal conditions of the torrefaction were identified at 320 °C and 30 min for SD, and 325 °C and 30 min for BW. The maximum HHVs at the optimal condition were 22, 23, and 20 MJ/kg while the eco-efficiency values were 29.18, 27.89, and 13.72 kJ/kg CO2_eq*THB for torrefied SD, torrefied BW, and coal, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that torrefied rubberwood residues enhanced HHV, eco-efficiency, and less contribution to CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuels.

Quality assessment of briquettes derived from carbonized cassava peel and sawdust as sustainable domestic sources of energy in Oyo State, Nigeria

About 80% of Nigeria’s rural and semi-urban population uses fuelwood, which accounts for 37% of the country’s energy demand. This results in the annual loss of 350,000 to 400,000 hectares of forest, increased carbon emissions, and loss of biodiversity, affecting ecosystems and quality of life. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and combustion properties of carbonized cassava peel (CP) and sawdust (SD) hybrid briquettes as an alternative to fuelwood. Factors considered were CP/SD ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100), binder concentrations (5 and 10 g), and residence times (10, 20, 30 min). The briquettes were produced by applying a low compaction pressure of 2.4 MPa. The briquettes exhibited densities of 320.00-627.79 kg/m³, moisture content of 4.37-8.22%, water resistances of 87.26-99.85%, ash content of 5.73-41.03%, calorific values of 20.01-32.30 KJ/kg, and carbon content of 55.25-57.07%, respectively. ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range tests revealed that CP/SD ratio is the most significant factor influencing the physicochemical and combustion properties of the briquettes. This study successfully showcased carbonized CP/SD briquettes as an alternative cooking fuel in Oyo State, leveraging the abundance of CP and SD and the feasibility of low-pressure compaction without costly equipment.

Exploring the reclamation pathway science of Beachwood powder for pharmaceutical acetaminophen drug effluent management.

High effective low-cost substance derived from agriculture-based waste towards a circular economy concept showed a significant green approach for pharmaceuticals uptake in aqueous solution. Beachwood sawdust was used as the source of cellulose based adsorbents. Cellulose is isolated from the waste and in parallel magnetite nanoparticles are prepared by the simple co-precipitation technique and the two substances are mixed in various proportions to be acetaminophen adsorbent. Characteristics of the prepared magnetite (M)/sawdust (SD) composite in various proportions (M:SD (1:1), M:SD (1:2), M:SD (1:3), M:SD (1:5) and M:SD (2:1) were assessed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) which revealed the presence magnetite and cellulose. Also, for the object of recoverable adsorbent, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) of the adsorbent is investigated to evaluate its sustainability. The highest removal rate was associated with M:SD (1:2) compared to the other composites and the pristine magnetite or sawdust materials within 2 hours of isotherm time. The adsorption parameters are optimized and the maximal yield is attained at pH (7.0), adsorbent dose of 2.0 g/L at room temperature. The adsorption matrix is following Langmuir model and fitted to the second-order kinetic model. The process is exothermic in nature and highlighted physisorption tendency. The highest monolayer adsorption uptake was investigated at 7.0 mg/g which corresponds to the M:SD (1:2) adsorbent.

Flexural & Compressive Strength Behaviour of Lowweight Engineered Timber Slab(ETS) composed of crack filler, wood adhesive & Saw dust

This study presents the Compressive & Flexural Strength performance of Low-weight Engineered Timber Slab(ETS) composed of wood adhesive, Saw dust, & crack filler. It provides empirical data on the flexural and compressive properties of engineered timber slab(ETS), which is an element of wood adhesive(WA), sawdust(SD), crack filler(CF). SD gave values of 562.3/m3, 0.67, 39.66%, 2.85, 1.2 and 2.98 for mean bulk density, mean specific gravity, mean water absorption, finess modulus, coefficient of curvature (Cc) and uniformity (Cu). Batching was done by volume by virtue of the low density of the component materials (SD & CF). The component materials were manually mixed. A total of twelve (12) cubes of size 150 x 150 x 150mm, were produced from mix ratios 0.5:0.5:2 & 0.5:0.75:2(WA : CF : SD) for compressive strength test. The above mix ratios were adopted based on the light-weight nature & high rate of water absorption of the component materials. A total of Twenty (20) slabs of size 300 x 300 x 100mm, 300 x 300 x 125mm, 300 x 300 x 150mm, 300 x 300 x 175mm and 300 x 300 x 200mm were cast for flexural strength of slab. Twenty(20) slabs were produced for with slab thickness of 100mm, 125mm, 150mm, 175mm and 200mm using the mix ratios 0.5:0.5:2 & 0.5:0.75:2(WA:CF:SD) respectively. the mean values of the compressive strength, flexural strength and deflection were 14.9MPa & 15.78MPa, 5.06MPa to 5.52MPa and 28.9mm to 86.5mm respectively

Co-pyrolysis of biomass/polyurethane foam waste: Thermodynamic study using Aspen Plus

Due to the varieties and identical feature of solid waste, this research aims to consider the use of various feedstocks in pyrolysis process for liquid fuel production. The feedstock considered covers woody and non-woody biomass and plastic waste which are represented by sawdust (SD), palm leaf (PL) and polyurethane foam (PU) waste. In this research, both pure solid waste and the co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic wastes were determined based on thermodynamics study. The model of pyrolysis process developed through Aspen Plus simulator was implemented to study the product yield, higher heating value (HHV) and energy consumption with a wider range of pyrolysis temperature and blending weight ratio. The simulation results clearly showed the use of pure PU waste can provide the highest oil yield (∼44%wt.) which is corresponded to highest HHV (∼28 MJ/kg). The pyrolysis, operating at 400oC, can provide the most significant quantity of oil. For the co-pyrolysis, the results revealed that more PU waste blended in both biomasses can improve both oil yield and HHV while the energy consumption is lower. From the simulation results, the optimal blending weight ratio of biomass and PU waste at 25:75 can provide suitable oil yield (∼43%wt.), HHV (∼26 MJ/kg) and energy consumption (243kW).

Biogenic amorphous FeOOH activated additional intracellular electron flow pathways for accelerating reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethylene

Dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria (DIRB) with extracellular electron transfer (EET) capabilities have shown significant potential for bioremediating halogenated hydrocarbon contaminated sites rich in iron and humic substances. However, the role and microbial molecular mechanisms of iron-humic acid (Fe-HA) complexes in the reductive dehalogenation process of DIRB remains inadequately elucidated. In this study, we developed a sustainable carbon cycling approach using Fe-HA complexes to modulate the electron flux from sawdust (SD), enabling almost complete reductive dechlorination by most DIRB (e.g., Shewanella oneidensis MR-1) that lack complex iron-sulfur molybdo enzymes. The SD-Fe-HA/MR-1 system achieved a 96.52% removal efficiency of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) at concentrations up to 250 μmol/L within 60 days. Material characterization revealed that DIRB facilitated the hydrolysis of macromolecular carbon sources by inducing the formation of amorphous ferrihydrite (FeOOH) in Fe-HA complexes. More importantly, the bioavailable FeOOH activated additional intracellular electron flow pathways, increasing the activity of potential dehalogenases. Transcriptome further highlight the innovative role of biogenic amorphous FeOOH in integrating intracellular redox metabolism with extracellular charge exchange to facilitate reductive dechlorination in DIRB. These findings provide novel insights into accelerating reductive dechlorination in-situ contaminated sites lacking obligate dehalogenating bacteria.

Mitigation of salt stress in rice (oryza sativa l.) growth and yield in coastal saline soil using crop residue-driven organic amendments under varying moisture conditions

The increasing salinity in coastal areas due to climate change significantly hinders rice (Oryza sativa L.) production, a crucial food source for over half of the global population. This study evaluates the effects of organic amendments and moisture conditions on the vegetative growth and yield of rice varieties in a saline field in the Khulna district of Bangladesh. The field experiment was conducted from February to May 2020, using rice straw compost (RSC), sawdust (SD), rice husk (RH), and mustard seed meal (MSM) at varying rates (0, 5, 10, 15 t ha-1) under moist (70% soil moisture) and saturated (>100% soil moisture) conditions. The experiment featured BRRI dhan 28 (salt-sensitive) and BRRI dhan 47 (salt-tolerant) varieties. Key metrics evaluated in the study included the productive to unproductive tillers ratio (PTR), spikelet sterility, percent filled grains, straw yield, and grain yield. Results indicated significant (p ≤0.05) improvements in PTR, reduction in spikelet sterility, increased grain filling, and higher straw and grain yields with applying organic amendments, especially MSM. The highest PTR for BRRI dhan 47 (0.86) was achieved with MSM at 5 t ha-1 under moist conditions, while BRRI dhan 28 reached a PTR of 0.81 with RH at 10 t ha-1 under saturated conditions. Spikelet sterility was minimized (9/panicle) with MSM at 5 t ha-1 under saturated conditions for both varieties. Percent filled grains peaked (88.9%) with MSM at 5 t ha-1 for BRRI dhan 28. Enhanced straw yields were observed, with BRRI dhan 47 achieving 8.76 t ha-1 with MSM at 10 t ha-1. Grain yield increased significantly, with BRRI dhan 28 yielding 5.75 t ha-1 under similar conditions. The study confirms that organic amendments of MSM > RSC > SD > RH can effectively mitigate salt and moisture stress, thereby improving rice productivity in saline soils. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 33(2): 1-13, 2024 (July)

Valorizing polymeric wastes and biomass through optimized co-pyrolysis for upgraded pyrolysis oil: A study on TG-FTIR and fixed bed reactor

The co-pyrolysis of biomass and polymeric wastes offers a promising approach for waste reduction and valuable product recovery while decreasing fossil fuel dependence. This study aimed to investigate the synergistic effects of blending waste tire (WT) or polystyrene (PS) with sawdust (SD) at varying effective hydrogen/carbon ratio (H/Ceff) on liquid product distribution. Thermal degradation behavior was analyzed using TGA-FTIR, followed by fixed-bed reactor pyrolysis experiments at different temperatures. The devolatilization of SD primarily occurred between 185 and 390°C, while WT and PS decomposed between 250 and 500°C and 350–460°C, respectively. Results showed that SD addition to WT accelerated degradation at lower temperatures. Optimal H/Ceff ratios were 0.42 for WT/SD and 0.64 for PS/SD blends at 500°C, maximizing valued hydrocarbons, reducing pollutants, and yielding the highest liquid fraction. TGA-FTIR analysis revealed the presence of various functional groups, including C-H, CC, CO2, and O-H. The pyrolytic oil showed improved stability with significantly fewer undesired compounds. This research provides theoretical and practical insights into the control and application potential as well as the limitations of high-value energy products derived from the co-pyrolysis of SD, WT, and PS.

Co-pyrolysis of refinery oil sludge with biomass and spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst for resource recovery.

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of two different refinery oily sludge (ROS) samples was conducted to facilitate resource recovery. Non-catalytic pyrolysis in temperatures ranging from 500 to 600°C was performed to determine high oil yields. Higher temperatures enhanced the oil yields up to ~ 24 wt%, while char formation remained unchanged (~ 45%) for S1. Conversely, S2 exhibited a notably lower oil yield (~ 4 wt%) than S1. Pyrolysis oil of S1 consisted of phenolics (~ 50% at 600°C) whereas hydrocarbons were predominant in S2 oil (~ 80% at 600°C). Catalytic pyrolysis of S1 did not exhibit a substantial impact on oil yields but the oil composition varied significantly. High hydrocarbons, phenolics, and aromatics were obtained with molecular sieve (MS), metal slag, and ZSM-5, respectively. Catalytic co-pyrolysis of S2 with sawdust (SD) in the presence of MS enhanced the oil yield, and the resulting oil consisted of high hydrocarbons (~ 54%) and aromatics (~ 44%).

Characterization of Fecal Sludge Combined with Sawdust as Briquettes

This study aimed to characterize fecal sludge (FS) combined with sawdust (SD) as non-charcoal briquettes. The combination consists of var.1 (FS 75% : SD 25%), var.2 (FS 50% : SD 50%), and var.3 (FS 25% : SD 75%). Fecal sludge was obtained from the sludge drying bed of a fecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) in Malang City, and sawdust was obtained from the furniture workshop. Labor scale briquettes were produced, measured and analyzed the calorific value (ASTM D 5865-01), proximate analysis (SNI 06-3730-1995 and SNI 01-6235-2000), sulfur (ASTM D3177), and density (SNI 8021-2020). The characteristic results the moisture content 3.26%-7.57%, volatile matter 48.68%-68.97%, ash content 12.02%-32.97%, fixed carbon 11.44%–26.62%, calorific value 4,237.78–5.158.64 cal/g, sulfur 0.23%–0.41%, and density 0.50-0.68 (g/cm3). Compared with pure fecal sludge briquettes, the addition of sawdust increased the calorific value of fecal sludge briquettes by up to 32% and decreased ash content by up to 40%. All variations met the standard of SNI 8021:2020, except for the density for var.2 and var 3. Based on MCA, the best variation is var.2 with a score of 45 and requires modification for density to meet the standard of SNI 8021:2020.

Investigation of the co-pyrolysis characteristics and gas emission properties of spent bleaching earth and biomass in a thermogravimetric analyser and a fixed bed reactor

The co-pyrolysis of spent bleaching earth (SBE) for adsorption decolorization and biomass can promote the resource utilization of industrial waste. The thermal behaviour and kinetics during the co-pyrolysis of SBE with sawdust (SD) were comparatively evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis at different mixing ratios and heat rates. Activation energies corresponding to the different conversion rates were determined by the distributed activation energy model (DAEM). The pyrolysis yield and evolved gases were measured by a fixed bed pyrolysis system. The results demonstrated that as SBE increased, the activation energy during the initial stage of pyrolysis clearly decreased. The fixed bed isothermal pyrolysis experiment showed that the increase in SBE had a significant effect on the gas production components, resulting in a decrease in CO and CO2 yields and an increase in alkane content. At 800°C, the addition of 30 % SBE had the highest H2 yield, indicating that SBE is a valuable additive.

Investigation of the adsorption performance and mechanism of multi-source mineral composite calcination materials on heavy metal ions

To address the challenges of plume generation and the release of heavy metal ions caused by deep-sea mining operations, this study utilized multi-source minerals, including steel slag (SS), oceanic manganese nodules (OMN), attapulgite (AT), and sawdust (SD), to fabricate a multi-source mineral composite calcination material (MMCCM) through a sintering process, and then the preliminary heavy metal ion adsorption experiment was carried out. The results indicated that both Langmuir and Freundlich models can describe the adsorption behavior of Cu2+ in a single system, while the Freundlich model was more applicable in competitive systems. The adsorption of Co2+ and Ni2+ consistently aligned with the Langmuir model across all systems. The adsorptive behavior conformed to pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating that chemisorption played a leading role. The intraparticle diffusion was the principal rate-limiting step, and the adsorption process was spontaneous. BET, TG-DTG, SEM-EDS, XRD, FT-IR and XPS elucidated that surface physical adsorption, ion exchange, complexation with functional groups, electrostatic attraction, and co-precipitation, which were the predominant adsorption mechanisms for MMCCM. Evaluations of regenerability, economy, security, and suitability demonstrated that MMCCM is an eco-friendly adsorbent, which provides materials and data support for future heavy metal marine sewage treatment, especially for immobilizing heavy metal in deep-sea sediments.

Investigation on the sustainable use of different sizes of sawdust aggregates in eco-friendly foam concretes: Physico-mechanical, thermal insulation and durability characteristics

The extensive mining of natural resources, such as sand, for the construction industry, poses a hazard to the environment. To preserve the environment, the researcher must thus take into account the use of industrial byproducts rather than natural materials. The use of sawdust (SD) produced by the wood industry in foam concretes (FC) has been investigated in this study. This study examined the physical, mechanical, thermal, microstructural and durability characteristics of FC containing SD as a replacement of silica sand (SS) in the rates of 0, 25, 50 and 100 %. Two different SD sizes of 0–4 mm (SD4) and 0–1 mm (SD1) were used in the fabrication of FC mixtures. Protein-based foam agent was used to create FC mixtures. Fourteen mixtures with a 0.6 water/binder (w/b) ratio were produced at two different cement contents of 400 kg/m3 and 500 kg/m3. The fresh, mechanical, physical, and sorptivity characteristics of the FC mixtures were investigated in relation to the impacts of cement dosage, SD size, and SD replacement levels of SS. Durability of FC against high temperature, sulfate attack and freeze-thaw cycles was assessed. Costs and CO2 emissions from the blends were also assessed. The outcomes revealed that a 25 %SD1 integrated FC mixture with a cement content of 500 kg/m3 generated the highest 28-day compressive strength of 3.56 MPa with a 20 % strength loss as per the Ref.500 mixture. 17 % lower thermal conductivity was gained with the inclusion of 100 %SD4 as per the Ref.400 mixture. The mixture with 50 %SD4 and 400 kg/m3 cement dosage exhibited the best resistance to high temperature. The mixture with 25 %SD1 and 400 kg/m3 cement dosage showed the best frost resistance. SD incorporated mixtures showed better durability performance than the reference mixtures.

Assessment of the effect of mixing polystyrene (PS) with sawdust (SD) on copyrolysis products

Assessment of the effect of mixing polystyrene (PS) with sawdust (SD) on copyrolysis products

Catalytic pyrolysis of torrefied biomass with molecular sieve catalysts to produce hydrocarbon rich biocrude

AbstractThe downstream processing of biocrudes obtained from direct biomass pyrolysis poses significant challenges due to stability issues, necessitating costly upgrading for further coprocessing with refinery feeds. This study examines the impact of torrefaction pretreatment on pyrolysis product distribution and biocrude composition using sawdust (SD) and groundnut shell (GS) feeds. Torrefaction was conducted at varying temperatures (200, 250 and 300°C) for 30 min under different reactor conditions. Increasing the severity of torrefaction resulted in decreased biocrude yields with reduced water content and gas formation, particularly evident with GS. A torrefaction temperature of 250°C and 30 min of pretreatment yielded higher phenolics and hydrocarbons. This increase in phenolics can be attributed to lignin enrichment during torrefaction, which, in the presence of a catalyst, undergoes deoxygenation leading to hydrocarbon formation. The influence of feed particle size, whether in powder or pellet form, on biocrude yield and composition was found to be minimal. Catalytic pyrolysis of SD using molecular sieve catalysts yielded the highest hydrocarbon (42%) and aromatic content (44%) at catalyst to biomass ratios of 1:1 and 2:3. The combination of torrefaction and pyrolysis was shown to enhance the quality of biocrude by increasing its hydrocarbon content, but at the expense of lower liquid yields. Experimental observations were supported by statistical analysis tools such as principal component analysis, which assessed pyrolysis product yields and composition.

Study on Replacement of Fine Aggregate with Light Weighted Super Absorbent Material in Internal Curing Concrete

Abstract: The process by which concrete gradually acquires hardened qualities because of cement's continuous hydration in the presence of enough heat and water is known as "curing." In order to preserve concrete and get the desired results for concrete structures—that is, sufficient concrete strength, durability, and dimensional stability curing becomes necessary. Water is becoming a more scarce resource by the day, so research into ways to save water when creating concrete and building is desperately needed. In order for concrete to acquire the desired qualities in its early phases, it must be cured, or kept at a suitable moisture content. Good curing, however, is frequently impractical. Concrete's microstructure and pore structure are developed by curing, which enhances the material's performance and longevity. Although they cause a decrease in the strength of the concrete, lightweight particles can enable internal curing (IC) in concrete and lessen autogenously shrinkage and accompanying cracking. In order to determine the impact of internal curing using recycled materials, an experiment was carried out. Sawdust (SD), granite fines (GF), and powdered recycled clay (PRC) was used in part place of conventional fine aggregates.

Rapid detection of explosives in collected dust using ion mobility spectrometry

Vapor and particulate matter from explosives can be adsorbed onto dust, enabling their detection in security and military applications. In this study, model explosive-adsorbed dust specimens were prepared using four types of dust from two inorganic substances [silica (SL) and clay (CL)] and two organic materials [sawdust (SD) and cotton fabric (CF)]. Three explosives, namely 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX), and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), were investigated, along with two different collection filters of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and lens cleansing paper (LCP). The dust was sprayed in a hood and collected using a cyclone collector. The explosive components present in the dust were rapidly detected using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). The adsorption efficiencies of TNT, RDX, and PETN onto dust were 36 – 97, 45 – 76, and 37 – 90 %, respectively, and the values of the inorganic dusts were higher than those of the organic dusts. The dust collection rate ranged from 5 to 15 %, and decreased in the order of CL > CF > SL = SD. The factors influencing rapid explosive detection were the intrinsic vapor pressure of the explosive, interactions between the dust and the explosive, thermal conductivities of the dusts and collection filters, and structure of the collection filter. Due to the low vapor pressure of RDX, this explosive was detected later than TNT and PETN. In most cases, detection was more rapid when using the LCP than when using the PTFE because of the thicker and woven structure of the PTFE filter. The detection limits achieved using the LCP (0.049 – 1.17 μg) were lower than those of the PTFE (0.67 – 10.05 μg). When the PTFE was used, the detection limits for the organic dusts were lower than those for the inorganic dusts. Notably, the detection limits of the explosives adsorbed onto dust were significantly higher than those of the pure explosives.

An Escalation Over Mechanical Attributes in M30 Type Solid Using Qualified Fill-In by Brick Dust to Cement & Saw Dust to Sand

In this era of civilization, the major industry needful to every household is construction sector which occupies 3rd place among 13 economic sectors in the world. The serious drawback of this sector – one is pollution & second is Scarcity of materials. In the present scenario, the world is stepping towards the new thoughts in pattern to shuffle the contamination by using the proxy materials instead of cement sand & aggregates due to its famine. In this paper of examine talks about the progression of mechanical attributes in concrete. The proxy materials used of mainly two, such that Brick Dust (BD) which is Squander left over the manufacturing of bricks & Saw Dust (SD) is thrift obtained after the wood working operations composed of small chips of wood. The qualified fill in concentrates over the cement with Brick dust with increased measures of frequency like 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, & 15%, simultaneously on the other side over Fine aggregate with Saw Dust with constant proportion of 5 % respectively for M30 type Solid. Moreover the comparison is held between the conventional Solid & Solid with proxy blends like 0%BD+0%SD, 3%BD+5%SD, 6%BD+5%SD, 9%BD+5%SD, 12%BD+5%SD & 15%BD+5%SD Key Words: Cement, Mechanical Attributes, Brick dust (BD), Saw Dust (SD), & M30 Solid

Utilisation of Sawdust and Charcoal Ash as Sustainable Modified Bitumen

Bitumen pavements play a critical role in modern transportation infrastructure, providing durable and reliable surfaces for roads and highways. However, traditional bitumen modifiers often rely on non-renewable resources and may contribute to environmental degradation. In response to the need for sustainable alternatives, this study explores the potential of utilizing sawdust (SD) and charcoal ash (CA) as bitumen modifiers. SD and CA were blended with bitumen grade 60/70 with 0% (control) and varied amounts of proportion using combination of SD and CA. Moreover, the sustainable modified bitumen mixture was assessed using the Marshall stability, indirect tensile strength and loss abrasion test. Specifically, adding 7SD0.5CA performs the best in stability as a sustainable modified bitumen mixture. The correlation between stability, tensile strength and loss abrasion for SD and CA modified bitumen mixture was significant, with a strong Coefficient of Determination (R2) of average 0.96 for all testing parameters. According to this study’s findings, the correlation of SD and CA content may improve the performance and engineering characteristics with respect to sustainable modified bitumen.

The Effect of Ultrasonication and Delignification Treatment on the Sugar Released Value of Wood

The objective of these research was to study the impact of ultrasonication and delignification pretreatments in several wood species on their easiness for enzymatic hydrolysis, having the potential to be developed as the feedstocks for bioethanol production. Four different wood species from three botanical gardens in Indonesia have been selected, i.e., Gymnostoma sumatranum, Firmiana malayana, Pterocarpus indicus, and Alstonia scholaris, due to their higher sugar released values than a fast-grown tree, Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria), when all were directly enzymatically hydrolyzed without pretreatment. The sugar released values after ultrasonication and enzymatic hydrolysis were between 3 – 5.5 mg/100 mg wood meal. When delignification pretreatment was performed, the sugar released values were higher than those with ultrasonication, ranging between 4 – 10.2 mg/100 mg wood meal. All the sugar released values after pretreatment were higher than those without pretreatment. Gymnostoma sumatranum was selected as the most potential wood species in this study due to its consistency among the species producing highest sugar released across different treatments. The SEM results showed that there was no significant changes in the morphological structure of the untreated fiber before and after enzymatic saccharification since it still had a complex structure due to the high lignin content. However, after the delignification treatment, the surface morphology of the fiber showed a decrease in the number of pits of the fiber, the surface residual of pits were reduced, parallel lines were more clearly visible, and the fiber structure was damaged with more small holes presented. The surface morphology of the fiber from the wood powder having delignification pretreatment supports the sugar released values which shows that the these values were higher than other treatments due to more recalcitrant substances were degraded, making it was easier for enzymes to break down cellulose. After ultrasonication, the SEM result showed less disrupted cell wall compared to after delignification which confirmed the higher sugar released data with delignification.