Open Access

ARTICLE

Citric Acid as an Alternative Adhesive: Optimisation of Concentrations on Characteristics of Jabon Plywood

Muhammad Ilham Aulia¹, Alifah Syahfitri¹, Imam Busyra Abdillah¹, Abdus Syukur¹, Dede Hermawan^1,*, Rita Kartika Sari¹, Mahdi Mubarok¹, Muhammad Adly Rahandi Lubis², Sukma Surya Kusumah², Sarah Augustina², Jajang Sutiawan^2,*

1 Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
2 Research Center for Biomass and Bioproducts, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, 16911, Indonesia

* Corresponding Authors: Dede Hermawan. Email: ; Jajang Sutiawan. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Eco-friendly Wood-Based Composites: Design, Manufacturing, Properties and Applications – Ⅱ)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2026, 14(4), 7 https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0160

Received 15 August 2025; Accepted 06 November 2025; Issue published 24 April 2026

Abstract

Citric acid adhesive is an alternative to formaldehyde-based adhesives that are more environmentally friendly because they are non-toxic and made from natural ingredients. This study aims to determine the effect of variations in citric acid adhesive concentrations on the physical and mechanical properties of jabon plywood. This study used citric acid adhesive with variations in citric acid (CA) concentrations of 59%, 69%, and 79%. Physical property tests include density, moisture content (MC), water absorption (WA), thickness expansion (TS), and delamination, while mechanical tests include modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and shear stress (TSS). The results showed that variations in adhesive concentration did not have a statistically significant effect on the physical and mechanical properties of jabon plywood. However, at CA, 59% had the highest density, and MC, the highest WA was recorded at CA 79%, while the highest TS was at CA 59%, but in this study, no delamination occurred. The highest MOE test result was at a CA concentration of 59%, the highest MOR value was at a CA 79%, and the highest TSS value was at a CA 69%. CA, with a concentration of 69%, is the optimal CA adhesive based on the strength of mechanical properties and water resistance.

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Keywords

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