Addition of Serbitol in Biodegradable Plastic Cateristics from Janeng

Abstract

The manufacture of biodegradable plastic film has been carried out using starch janeng which functions as the main raw material, water that functions as a solvent, and serbitol which functions as a plasticizer. Janeng is chosen as a raw material for making plastic because in addition to being easy to obtain and low in price, its use is still very minimal when compared to other plants which are the staple food of the community, such as rice, corn, potatoes, wheat, and so on. This study aims to make plastic that can reduce the environmental impact by looking at the influence of the plasticizer used on the mechanical properties of the film, the absorption capacity of water, and the decomposition rate of the plastic.Theplasticizerusedissorbitolwith a weight concentration of 1 ml, 3 ml, and 6 ml of the total weight, and the weight ratio of sago starch and water is 1 g, 3 g, and 6 g. Testing of mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation) using Universal Testing Machines Electronic System, testing water absorption is done by immersing the film in water for 24 hours, and decomposition rate testing is done by burying the film into the ground. The results showed that the highest tensile strength values were obtained at a concentration of 3 ml of serbitol with a weight ratio of 3 g of starch with a yield of 3.2 kgf/cm 2, whereas the highest percentage of elongation was obtained at a concentration of 6 ml of serbitolwith a ratio of weight of 1 g of starch to yield 3, 9%. The lowest water absorption was obtained in the composition of 1 ml of serbitol with a weight ratio of 1 gram of starch, which was 2.7%, and the decomposition process occurred for 27 to 33 days.