Effect of ethanol concentration as drying agent to the mechanical properties of oil palm lumber

This study includes the analysis of ethanol influence toward oil palm lumber as drying agent. The mechanical characteristics of oil palm timber were assessed. For ethanol soaking, the treatment was carried out utilizing 91%, 70%, 85%, 55%, and 49% concentration for both inner and outer layer of oil palm timber. The outer layer of oil palm lumber after treatment had more strength compared to control oil palm lumber. Meanwhile, the strength of treated core layer showed reduction compared to that of control oil palm lumber. Our finding demonstrates that the drying method of oil palm trunk using ethanol had been successful and showed that ethanol influenced mechanical properties of oil palm trunk in drying the outer and core layer of OPT for 24 hours with a temperature of 80℃ by using oven and only 55% of the ethanol concentration was suggested to obtain the best mechanical properties of OPT.