Tailoring the Properties of Balsa and Pulai Wood Sponge through Dual-Stages Delignification as a Potential Bio-Based Adsorbent
Hapidh Alaudin Syalsabil1, Imam Wahyudi2,*, Deazy Rachmi Trisatya1,3, Sarah Augustina3,*, Sari Delviana Marbun4
1 Study Program of Forest Products Science and Technology, Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, Post-Graduate School (SPs) IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
2 Forest Products Department, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
3 Research Center for Biomass and Bioproducts, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Serpong, South Tangerang, Indonesia
4 Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
* Corresponding Author: Imam Wahyudi. Email: 
; Sarah Augustina. Email: 
Journal of Renewable Materials https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2026.02025-0161
Received 14 August 2025; Accepted 27 January 2026; Published online 19 February 2026
Abstract
The increasing need for efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly adsorbent materials has driven interest in bio-based alternatives. Conventional silica-based adsorbents, while effective, are often brittle and energy-intensive to produce. In contrast, wood offers a renewable and low-energy option with natural porosity suitable for adsorption. This study investigated the fabrication of wood sponge from tropical balsa (
Ochroma bicolor) and pulai (
Alstonia scholaris) wood through a dual-stage delignification process as a novel bio-based adsorbent. The process involved alkaline treatment using sodium sulfite (Na
2SO
3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 100°C for 8, 9, and 10 h, followed by bleaching process using hydrogen peroxide (H
2O
2) at 100°C for 1, 2, and 3 h. The treated samples were then rinsed to neutral pH, frozen at −20°C for 24 h, and freeze-dried at −50°C for 48 h. The results revealed a notable reduction in density and specific gravity, accompanied by increased weight loss and pore diameter size with prolonged delignification process. Optical changes showed increased translucency and layered structures, particularly in balsa wood. FTIR analysis confirmed a reduction in lignin and hemicellulose content, validating the chemical modification within the treated samples. The resulting wood sponges exhibited good porosity and adsorption capacity, ranging from 1.3 to 5.7 g/g. The optimal treatment—10 h of alkaline delignification followed by 3 h of H
2O
2 bleaching—demonstrated the highest performance, highlighting the potential of tropical wood species as efficient, biodegradable, and eco-friendly adsorbent materials.
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
Adsorbent materials; balsa wood; delignification process; pulai wood; wood sponge
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