OPTIMASI PENGGUNAAN CAMPURAN AMONIUM BIKARBONAT DAN NATRIUM KARBONAT SEBAGAI CATCHER FORMALDEHIDA PADA PLYWOOD

Abstract

The pirpose of this research to reduce free formaldehyde emition in plywood using mixture of ammonium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate solution as a catcher. Experiment’s variable due to optimalizing concentration, frequency at coating, and ratio between amonium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate. Catcher coating was carried out after plywood exiting the hot press. Formaldehyde emission levels measured by spectrophotometry method according to the JAS method. The measurement were applied to the treated plywood. In addition, this study also surveyed the price of  the new catcher and comercial catcher. The results showed that 1) not significant differences betwen commercial catcher and new catcher (mixture of ammonium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate) in three minute time interval of coating, 2) the optimum volume ratio of 15% ammonium bicarbonate and 15% sodium carbonate is 3:7, and able to reduce formaldehyde emission levels up to 77.36%. Thus, the effectivennes of the catcher was 90% compare to the import catcher, but the price was only 13.33%. In addition, the catcher coated plywood has emition level only 0.36 ppm of free formaldehyde, so has fulfilled the plywood standards of F **** (4 stars) and meet the export quality.