Biodégradation Bioplastic Based on Arrowroot Starch with Glycerol Plasticizer and ZnO Fillers

Abstract

Petroleum-based plastic packaging is very often found in everyday life. It is necessary to develop plastics made from polymers that can be decomposed naturally due to plastic waste problem. One of this polimer is starch. ZnO compounds are used as reinforcing bioplastics because bioplastics derived from starch are still brittle. This study aims to understand the biodegradability of arrowroot starch-based bioplastics with additional ZnO on soil media. This research was carried out in three stages: the production of arrowroot bioplastics with ZnO variations of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%, bioplastic characterization testing, and bioplastic biodegradation testing. Bioplastic’s characterization includes mechanical test (tensile strength, elongation, and young modulus), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red), and biodegradation testing of bioplastics carried out on soil pH 5 and pH 6. The result showed with variation 3% of ZnO produce are good mechanical and physical properties. Bioplastics produced tensile strength of 5,9966 MPa, elongation of 5,00045%, and young modulus of 118,1268 MPa. The biodegradation test results in soil pH 5 and pH 6, respectively, showed a decrease in the bioplastic mass up to 70% and 72% for 15 days.