The Characterization Of Porang Starch (Amorphophallus Oncophyllus) Biodegradable Plastic Using Sorbitol Plasticizer With The Glycerol Plasticizer Addition

Abstract

This research investigated effect of morphological, mechanical and physical properties on biodegradable plastic made from porang starch with chitosan using, sorbitol plasticizer at concentration 60 and 80 wt%, with the addition of glycerol plasticizer at various concentrations (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%), made using the melt intercalation method with a gelatinization temperature of 80°C and drying temperature of 70°C. Plasticizer was added to improve flexibility and water absorption of biodegradable plastic properties. Increasing the concentration of the plasticizer resulted in an increase in the elongation of the biodegradable plastic. The biodegradable plastic showed greater tensile strength before addition glycerol plasticizer 1,9191 MPa at 60% concentration and 1,3018 MPa at 80%. Conversely, the addition of 100% glycerol concentration showed an increase in elongation of 77.7764% at 60% sorbitol and 171.0562 at 80% sorbitol. SEM characterization results still showed agglomeration and FTIR not showed any new functional groups. The results of this research indicate that the percentage and kind of plasticizer influence the physical, mechanical, morphological and degradation properties to porang starch biodegradable plastics.