KARAKTERISASI KOMPOSIT BAMBU PARRING (GIGANTOCHLOA ATTER) BERMATRIKS FLAME-RETARDANT POLYESTER UNTUK SAFETY CABIN

Background. Occupational safety in a fire-prone industrial environment requires the development of fire-resistant construction materials that are environmentally friendly. Bamboo fiber, particularly the Gigantochloa Atter (bamboo parring) type, which grows abundantly in Sulawesi, Indonesia, has great potential as a natural reinforcing material for the development of refractory composites. Purpose. This study aims to determine the characterization of bamboo parring fiber (PaBFeR) as a reinforcement of PaBFeR-FeReP (Parring Bamboo Fiber – Flame Retardant Polyester) composite material, determine the fire resistance of PaBFeR-FeReP composite material for safety cabin applications, and determine the mechanical properties of PaBFeR-FeReP composite material after going through the machining process (drilling machine). Method. This research is divided into 3 (three) stages. The first stage is PaBFeR fiber testing with alkali and flame retardant inhibitor, which includes single fiber tensile test, pull-out test, and wettability. The second stage is composite testing including mechanical tests for composite characterization, fire resistance tested through the UL-94 method, and thermal analysis (DSC/TGA). The third stage is testing the ability of the machine to be analyzed through drilling tests and to determine the optimal machining parameters. Stage I: Focusing on matrix selection and fiber treatment optimization to improve the quality of fiber–matrix interface. The best resin formulation is FRP1.5 with the highest mechanical performance (tensile stress of 43.31 ± 0.35 MPa and impact of 219.78 ± 0.79 J/mm²). The optimum fiber treatment was set at 5% NaOH for 45 minutes, resulting in a fiber tensile strength of 249.54 ± 0.11 MPa and an interface shear stress of 14.47 ± 0.69 MPa (0% pull-out), as well as an average contact angle of 37.86° ± 2.36° as an indicator of surface character after alkalizing. Stage II: Fabricate composite panels at fiber volume fraction variations (45–65%) under normal (PFN) and treated (PFT) conditions, then evaluate their mechanical properties, fire resistance, and thermal stability. The optimum sample was a PFT65% with a tensile strength of 57.41 ± 0.82 MPa, a bending of 112.84 ± 2.13 MPa, and an impact of 46.89 ± 0.13 kJ/m². All variants meet UL-94 V-0 (no flame droplets and no cotton burns), with an afterflame generally of 0 s. Thermally, composites show high charcoal residue and an Mass Loss of > 60% (e.g., PFT65%: residue 37.46%, Mass Loss 62.28%). Stage III: Analyze the capabilities of the engine through drilling tests (variations in point angle, spindle speed, and feed rate) with thrust force and hole quality indicators (ΔD and Df). The best conditions for a 65% PFN65% are DBA 135°–S1000–F150 with an average Ø of 8,000 mm (ΔD 0.000) and a Df of 1,000; while for the best PFT65% at DBA 118°–S1000–F150, with a thrust of 118.56 N, and Df remains close to 1. Overall, the results of the dissertation confirm that fiber treatment engineering and the selection of appropriate process parameters can produce bio-based composite panels that are mechanically superior, meet the highest refractory classification (V-0), and have machinability optimized for structural assembly needs.