PENGARUH KONSENTRASI NaOH DAN JENIS PELARUT PADA BLEACHING PULP BERBAHAN BAKU JERAMI PADI

Abstract

Rice straw is an abundant agricultural residue found in South Sumatra. Its substantial cellulose content positions it as a highly promising raw material for pulp manufacturing. As cellulose constitutes the primary component essential for pulp production, the presence of significant amounts in rice straw highlights its potential value. However, the lignin fraction within rice straw must be effectively removed through a delignification process, as lignin impedes the efficiency of pulping. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the chemical agent typically employed to facilitate this delignification. This study aims to investigate the influence of varying NaOH concentrations on the delignification efficiency of rice straw to enhance cellulose enrichment, alongside assessing the comparative effects of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) during the pulp bleaching stage. Experimental results indicate that a 10% concentration of NaOH yields superior delignification performance relative to a 5% concentration. Furthermore, implementing bleaching with 5.25% NaOCl in a two-stage process demonstrates a more effective removal of the inherent coloration of rice straw compared to bleaching with H₂O₂. Visually, pulp subjected to 5.25% NaOCl bleaching exhibits a notably higher whiteness than samples treated with alternative bleaching agents