Effects of Solvent Soaking and Oven Drying on the Properties of Oil Palm Wood: A Single-Trunk Proof-of-Concept Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/bioenv.v4i3.177Keywords:
Oil palm wood, Organic-solvent pretreatment, Moisture content, Radial variation, Mechanical properties, Scanning electron microscopyAbstract
Oil palm wood (OPW) is an abundant lignocellulosic resource, but its utilisation is constrained by high and uneven moisture content and substantial radial heterogeneity. This proof-of-concept study evaluated the effects of soaking in ethanol, acetone, or toluene for 24 h before oven drying at 80 °C. Specimens were obtained from the inner and outer radial zones of the lower stem of a single 25-year-old oil palm trunk. Moisture content, density, volumetric shrinkage, microstructure, and bending properties were evaluated, with six specimens per treatment and radial layer for each measured property. Treatment and layer effects were assessed using two-way analysis of variance, followed by Tukey’s HSD test. Ethanol was the only solvent that significantly reduced moisture content relative to the untreated control, from 148.86 ± 7.99% to 60.57 ± 2.81% in the inner layer and from 64.96 ± 5.89% to 38.09 ± 1.80% in the outer layer. Acetone produced the highest outer-layer volumetric shrinkage (6.36 ± 0.64%), significantly exceeding that of ethanol and toluene but not the untreated control. Bending responses varied between radial layers. Acetone produced the highest outer-layer modulus of rupture (25.99 N/mm²) and modulus of elasticity (4972.84 N/mm²), whereas toluene produced the highest inner-layer modulus of elasticity (749.81 N/mm²). Scanning electron microscopy revealed treatment-dependent changes in vascular bundles and parenchymatous tissue. Exploratory pooled correlations indicated negative associations of moisture content and positive associations of density with bending properties. These findings indicate that solvent responses depend on the property and radial layer. As all specimens originated from one trunk, validation using independent trunks is required before broader recommendations can be made.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ahmad Fauzi Awang, Mohd Fadzil Arshad, Ahmad Zaki J, Shafie A, Abdul Latif NH, M Janshah
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