Degumming; Ramie;

Fibers; Swelling;

Sodium hydroxide;

Feasibility studies

Sari :

Proses degumming serat rami yang umumnya dilakukan di IKM pengolah rami

yaitu menggunakan natrium hidroksida (NaOH) pada konsentrasi relatif tinggi, suhu

100 derajat C dan waklu berkisar 6 jam, dilanjutkan pemberian zat, pelemas pada

suhu 50 derajat C untuk membantu penguraian serat. Dalam penelitian modifikasi

degumming serat rami metoda kimia, telah dilakukan melalui proses awal

sebelumdegumming dengan NaOH, untuk mendapatkan proses degumming yang

lebih efisien dan efektif. Proses awal dikerjakan dalam larutan asam dilanjutkan

dengan degumming dalam NaOH sehingga pemakaian NaOH relatif lebih sedikit

dengan waktu proses lebih singkat. Kondisi optimum proses dicapai pada saat

serat belum terhidrolisa, namun telah menggelembung (swelling),

sehingga gum pada serat akan mudah terdegradasi pada proses degumming.

Kondisi optimum degumming dibuktikan berdasarkan hasil uji kehalusan serat,

kekuatan tarik, mulur, modulus awal, dimensi serat, dan fotomikroskopi penampang

serat. Hasil uji optimum diperoleh pada konsentrasi asam sulfat 5 g/l dan NaOH6

g/l, yaitu kehalusan serat: 4.9 denier, tenacily : 7,27 g/denier, mulur : 3,5 % dan

modulus awal : 192,25 g/denier. Hasil analisa limbah cair pada modifikasi

proses degumming antara lain COD dan BOD relalif lebih kecil dengan pH

mendekati normal, dibandingdegumming tanpa proses awal. Dari tinjauan aspek

ekonomi diketahui bahwa modifikasi proses degumming ini memberjkan

penghematan bagi IKM meliputi waktu proses berkurang 50 %, bahan bakar

minyak tanah 60 % per hari dan tenaga kerja 50 %. Analisa tekno ekonomi dengan

asumsi bahwa proses degumming per hari sebanyak 400 kg serat rami China

grass dan harga jual serat stapel Rp 20.000/kg, maka untuk degumming tanpa

proses awal diperoleh laba sebesar 28 % per tahun dengan BEP 67 %, sedangkan

dengan harga jual yang sama untuk modifikasi proses degumming dibuktikan

dengan laba sebesar 35 % per tahun dengan BEP 58 %.

Abstrak : Degumming process for ramie fiber in SME usually has been being done by using

sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at high concentration, temperature at 100 degree C and

could be done for ahoul 6 hours, followed by addition of softening agent at the

temperature qf 50 degree C to make the fibers easier to separate individually. In

this research pretreatment was done before degumming of ramie fiber to get more

efficient and effective process. Pretreatment was done in acid solution and followed

by degumming process in sodium hydroxide solution so less sodium hydroxide

could be needed and less time of period for the process. The optimum condition

process had reached where the fiber had not been hydrolyzed yet, but had already

been swollen, so that gum content in the fiber could be easier to degrade during

degumming process. The optimum condition of degumming had been proved

based on the test results i.e. fiber fineness, tensile strength, elongation, initial

modulus, fiber dimension, and photomicroscopic of fiber cross section. The

optimum result was obtained by using 5 g/l of sulphuric acid and 6 g/l of sodium

hydroxide, i.e fineness: 4,9 denier, tenacity: 7,27 g/denier, elongation: 3,5 % and

initial modulus: 192,25 g/denier. The waste water characteristic showed that COO

and BOD value were lower with pH near normal as compare to degumming process

without pretreatment. The techno-economical aspect of modification degumming

method has indicated profitable for SME including : 50 % decreasing of processing

time, 60% daily of saving petroleum energy and 50 % decreasing of employer.

Analysis of economic aspect with the assumption of degumming process for 400 kg

china grass and the selling price qf staple fiber is Rp 20.000/ kg, so that for

degumming without pretreatment will gain benefit by 28% annually and BEP 67%,

but for the same selling price with modification degumming process will be proven

beneficial of 35 % annually and BEP 58%.