The effects of sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate treatment on roughness of coconut fiber surface

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the grade of roughness of coconut fiber surface as result of sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate treatment. Research stages are soaking for 3 hours, testing, and data processing. Coconut fiber is soaked in 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% sodium hydroxide solution. Then soaked in 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% potassium permanganate solution. After that, the coconut fiber is dried in the oven at 90 °C for 5 hours. Thereafter, measurement of surface roughness. The measurement of surface roughness was did in two methods namely SEM, and surface roughness gauge. Based on the results of the tests, it was concluded that the higher concentrations of sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate solutions gave higher grades of surface roughness compared with untreated fibers.