Characteristics of nanoclay reinforced starch biocomposites through the extrusion process

Abstract

The development of materials engineering has led to many significant discoveries one of which is biocomposite with its diverse applications. The addition of reinforcing materials in biopolymers improves the composite properties. This study aimed at investigating the effect of adding nanoclay on the tensile strength, morphology, functional group, and structure of extruded biocomposites with cassava starch matrix. This experimental research involved different concentrations of nanoclay i.e. 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%. The extrusion process was performed using a single screw extruder at 120°C. The samples were characterized by tensile testing, XRD, and SEM. The biocomposite reinforced with 5% nanoclay had the highest tensile strength of 10.8 MPa. The highest diffraction peak at 2θ of 19.4° appeared in the sample added with 5% nanoclay. The addition of excessive amounts of nanoclay can hinder the formation of exfoliated structures.