The influence of the filler addition of rice husk cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, and zinc oxide on the characteristics of environmentally friendly cassava biodegradable plastic

Abstract

The difficulty of plastic waste in degrading naturally highlights the need for more environmentally friendly plastic usage. In this study, biodegradable plastic was synthesized from cassava peel starch and examined the influence of incorporating cellulose, PVA, and ZnO on their characteristics. The bioplastics were prepared using the melt intercalation technique and were subsequently subjected to various assessments of mechanical properties and degradation time. Optimal conditions for bioplastics were obtained by adding 5 g starch, 1.2 g cellulose, 0.3 g PVA, and 0.3 g ZnO (sample D4). The addition of fillers affects the bioplastic mechanic properties and showed better biodegradation abilities.

Keywords

• Bioplastic
• Degradation time
• Cassava peel starch
• Mechanical properties