Effect of Dragon Fruit Skin Extract (Hylocereus costaricensis) on Bio-plastic Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cassava Starch and Polyvinyl Alcohol

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of dragon fruit skin extract (Hylocereus costaricensis) to the bio-plastic characteristics of cassava starch and polyvinyl alcohol and to know the addition of the best dragon fruit skin extract (Hylocereus costaricensis). The treatment of this research is the addition of dragon fruit skin extract of 5%; 10%; 15%; 20%; and 25%. Observations on the resulting bio-plastic product are physical properties and mechanical properties. Physical properties test include thickness, density, water absorption and mechanical properties test including tensile strength test, percent elongation. The results showed that the difference of dragon fruit color extract concentration in bio-plastic has effect on thickness, density, water absorption, tensile strength, elongation percentage. The best treatment based on bio-plastic mechanical properties is on E treatment (addition of 20% dragon fruit skin extract).