Professor of IPB Develops Termite-Resistant Wood

Compaction wood is one of the techniques to improve the quality of the wood by increasing the wood density suh as impregnation, compression, and compregnation. Impregnation is done by putting a specific chemical compound into the wood to close wood pores so that the wood becomes denser. Meanwhile, wood compression is the process of putting pressure on the timber so that its thickness is reduced to some degree. Compregnation is a combination of impregnation and compression process at a certain temperature and pressure.

Professor of the Forestry Faculty of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Prof.Dr. Dodi Nandika has conducted  wood compregnation of sengon, Jabon, and manii using chitosan solution to produce high-quality compressed wood that is termite-resistant. In his scientific oration in the Auditorium of Andi Hakim Nasoetion IPB (16/9), Prof. Dodi said that the economic aspect of timber compregnation technology by using chitosan is very favorable considering that the main raw material of chitosan derived from fish waste is abundant. Meanwhile, from the ecological aspect, this technology encourages efficient utilization of Indonesia forest resources.

Sengon, Jabon and manii woods are  a fast-growing tress. All of the three are impregnated  with chitosan solution of 0.5 percent in three different temperature treatments (150?C, 170?C, 190?C) for 90 minutes and  compressed  in different temperature for 60 minutes to reduce thickness by 50 percent.

"The result shows the compacted timber has a better resistance to subterranean termite attack compared to wood without compregnationsi. Compregnation can increase the wood resistance of sengon, Jabon and manii to the subterranean termites attack, C. curvignathus," he said. (Mtd)