Making Biobriquettes from Patchouli and Rice Husks Using Tapioca Flour Glue

Abstract

The increasing demand for energy and the declining availability of fossil fuel reserves have encouraged the development of renewable energy sources from biomass. One potential alternative is the utilization of agricultural residues as raw materials for biobriquette production. This study aimed to determine the effect of different tapioca starch adhesive concentrations (5%, 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14%) on the quality characteristics of biobriquettes produced from a 50:50 mixture of patchouli distillation waste and rice husk, as well as to identify the optimum adhesive composition. The research employed an experimental quantitative approach in which briquette samples were prepared using different adhesive concentrations and evaluated for moisture content, ash content, volatile matter, and combustion rate based on the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). The experimental results revealed that adhesive concentration significantly affected all quality parameters. Moisture content ranged from 11.25% to 14.94%, ash content from 32.54% to 40.28%, volatile matter from 32.04% to 38.14%, and combustion rate from 0.4118 to 0.6094 g/min. Among the tested formulations, the biobriquette containing 12% tapioca adhesive exhibited the most balanced performance, with moisture content of 13.06%, ash content of 34.52%, volatile matter of 36.17%, and a combustion rate of 0.4589 g/min. These findings indicate that a 12% tapioca adhesive concentration provides the optimum composition for producing biobriquettes with favorable combustion characteristics and structural quality, while supporting sustainable agricultural waste utilization as an environmentally friendly alternative energy source.