Morphological Properties of Cassava Film Influence by Plasticizers in Zinc-air Fuel Cell

Abstract

The effect of plasticizers, glycerol, sorbitol, and sucrose on structural, mechanical, and chemical properties of cassava starch film has been investigated. The morphologies of cassava films were studied by the addition of a different type of plasticizer. Mixtures of cassava starch and distilled water with the combination of glycerol, sorbitol, sucrose as plasticizers. Dried films plasticized showed the results under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) as smooth film surfaces were observed in a mixture of glycerol, sorbitol, and sucrose because glycerol and sucrose are more hydrophilic than sorbitol, thus the presence of more hydroxyl groups (-OH groups) in the molecule, sorbitol interacted with water by hydrogen bonding resulting in less plasticizing effect compared to glycerol and sucrose. As a result, the presence of sorbitol as a plasticizer with glycerol and sucrose in cassava starch films provided a more compact and homogenous surface, improves the stability and flexibility of cassava starch films.