GET THREE AND PASS: THE UTILIZATION OF RICE STRAW, NAPIER GRASS, AND RECYCLED PAPER WITH PAPERMAKING AS A REPLACEMENT FOR WOOD

Abstract

Paper has been an essential medium throughout history and continues to be widely used due to its various applications. However, the increasing demand for paper and its production poses environmental concerns, particularly logging, as it relies on wood-based fibers, along with the growing accumulation of waste paper. To help preserve ecosystems and reduce environmental degradation, this study focused on producing handmade paper using rice straw, napier grass, and recycled paper as alternative raw materials. This study utilized an experimental research design to evaluate the qualities of non-wood paper in comparison with commercial paper. The properties examined included thickness, tensile strength, burst strength, and water absorptiveness, using comparative analysis to interpret the data obtained. The raw materials were boiled for thirty minutes and underwent soda pulping using a 3% concentration of sodium hydroxide, except for the used paper. After blending, the pulp was mixed with sodium hypochlorite. The results showed that the non-wood fiber paper produced was thicker and more water-absorptive than commercial bond paper. However, commercial paper exhibited higher tensile and burst strength indexes compared to the non-wood paper. The findings indicate that rice straw, napier grass, and used paper can be utilized in papermaking without the use of wood, although their application is limited, as the resulting paper is more suitable for art material purposes. The study recommends exploring other non-wood fibers and alternative procedures to improve the physical characteristics of handmade paper.