Abstract
The development of materials engineering has led to many significant discoveries one of which is biocomposite with its diverse applications. The addition of reinforcing materials in biopolymers improves the composite properties. This study aimed at investigating the effect of adding nanoclay on the tensile strength, morphology, functional group, and structure of extruded biocomposites with cassava starch matrix. This experimental research involved different concentrations of nanoclay i.e. 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%. The extrusion process was performed using a single screw extruder at 120°C. The samples were characterized by tensile testing, XRD, and SEM. The biocomposite reinforced with 5% nanoclay had the highest tensile strength of 10.8 MPa. The highest diffraction peak at 2θ of 19.4° appeared in the sample added with 5% nanoclay. The addition of excessive amounts of nanoclay can hinder the formation of exfoliated structures.
Highlights
IntroductionPlastics are widely used for packaging materials and other applications due to advantages such as inexpensive, lightweight, and chemically resistant [1]
The consumption of plastic in Indonesia is increasingly high
One viable remedy to solve the problem of plastic waste is through the development of biodegradable plastics/biocomposites which are degraded in the environment
Summary
Plastics are widely used for packaging materials and other applications due to advantages such as inexpensive, lightweight, and chemically resistant [1]. Plastic is a type of material that is difficult to decompose within a short time of disposal. Petroleum-based plastics, for instance, are synthetic polymers that are so hard to break down; they take approximately more than 50 years to completely degrade in landfills [2]. One viable remedy to solve the problem of plastic waste is through the development of biodegradable plastics/biocomposites which are degraded in the environment. Starch is a nanostructured material extracted from tubers such as cassava, which is inexpensive, abundant, renewable, biocompatible, and biodegradable [3]. Cassava starch contains of 12.28% to 27.38% amylose and 72.61% to 87.71% amylopectin
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