UNUD | Udayana University

Concerning In Plastic Waste Problem, Lecturer from Faculty of Agricultural Technology Udayana University Develop Synthesis of Biothermoplastic Composites Based on Starch and Carrageenan as Packaging Materials

Posted by Fakultas Teknologi Pertanian
14 Maret 2022
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Utilization of potentially renewable materials is becoming increasingly recognized and a promising alternative for future material products in a sustainable and green society. Over the past few decades, the dominant material for food packaging has been synthetic plastic derived from non-degradable fossil fuels. Fossil fuels used as the basis for synthetic plastics pose many complex threats to the environment.

One of the efforts to overcome plastic pollution is to develop biodegradable thermoplastic (biothermoplastic), namely plastic that is easy to form and melts at high temperatures and easily degraded. Products like this have great potential to be used in various fields of life because of their flexibility in use and environmental friendliness. However, the characteristics of biothermoplastics, including biothermoplastic composites, are largely determined by many factors, including the type of raw materials, composite-forming materials, thermoplastic-forming materials, reinforcing materials and their types and concentrations, and so on.

Picture : Bioplastic based on starch and carrageenan (Personal Documentation)

Lecturer of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, namely Mrs. Dr. Ir. Amna Hartiati, MP; Mr. Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Admadi H., MP. and Mr. Dr. I Wayan Arnata., S TP., M Si. developed the manufacture of bioplastics made from cassava starch and seaweed carrageenan which are renewable saccharide polymers. Bioplastic was developed to overcome synthetic plastic waste which is already very problematic for the environment because it cannot be degraded in the soil for hundreds of years. The results of the development of this bioplastic will replace the synthetic plastic, especially for plastic bags, which require around 14% of the use of all synthetic plastics. The results of this research in the form of bioplastic composites have met the mechanical properties of the Indonesian National Standard and can be degraded in the soil for 8 days.

Through this research, it is hoped it will be a solution related to the problem of synthetic plastic waste which has a huge impact on the environment.