The Effect Of Glycerol Concentration On Starch-based Bioplastics Derived From Banana Peels (musa Acuminata)

The widespread use of plastics in everyday life will cause serious harm to the ecosystem if not managed properly. To solve this problem, more sustainable alternatives like bioplastics, made from plant-based materials such as starch, have been developed. In this study, banana peel is seen as a good resource for bioplastics productions as it contains a high starch content compared to other fruit peels. Furthermore, there is no further research on bioplastics starch derived from Musa acuminata. In addition, plastics made from starch have a low mechanical property such as low tensile strength and are easily infected by fungal and bacteria. Therefore, the ability of starch derived from Musa acuminata and the effect of plasticizers on the mechanical properties of the bioplastics were investigated. The potential of these bioplastics is demonstrated through rigorous physical testing, which includes biodegradability, solubility, tensile strength, and FTIR analysis. Based on the results obtained, the solubility rate increased from 3.2 ± 0.29% to 14.5 ± 0.28% as glycerol volume increased, and a similar trend was observed in the biodegradability test, where the weight loss of the bioplastic increased from week 1 until week 2, showing that as the concentration of glycerol increases, the solubility and biodegradability will also increase. Regarding tensile strength, elevating the glycerol content enhances the strength
and durability of the bioplastic, but excessive use can lead to brittleness. Therefore, the most suitable glycerol concentration is found to be at 1 wt. (%) which represents 1 wt. (%) of banana peel starch.