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Bioplastics became important as oil-based plastic accumulated around the world and polluted the environment. keratin is existed in chicken feathers around 90%. Keratin is an important biomaterial and the most inexpensive abundant biomaterial. Previous study showed that solid-state fermentation of keratinase by bacillus sp. MD24 using chicken feathers a sole carbon and nitrogen source produced soluble keratin hydrolysate. The keratin hydrolysate can be transformed into keratin biofilm which ultimately might be used to make bioplastic. However keratin biofilm has poor mechanical properties. Blending keratin with other biomaterial such as carrageenan might improve keratin biofilm properties. This research aimed to make keratin-carrageenan polyblend and characterize the properties of the polyblend. Keratin hydrolysate was collected from keratinase solid-state fermentation liquid by-product. After dyalisis, soluble keratin was mixed with carrageenan solution at various mass ratio. Prior to mix with carrageenan, Particle size analyzer (PSA) is used to examined the size of soluble keratin. The polybend film was then analyzed using FTIR, SEM, and DMA. SEM photograph showed morphology of film surface which smooth and homogen. FTIR spectra showed the presence of both carrageenan-keratin in the film. DMA shows better mechanical properties of polyblend film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics have become an indispensable part of modern life and due to their outstanding properties, they are used for a wide range of products in a great variety of industrial sectors. However, if plastics are not disposed properly and released into the environment, they become a global problem. Especially the high longevity and durability of plastics lead to undesirable accumulations in terrestrial and aquatic systems. Therefore, both seas and soils become final sinks. Because of that, the prevention of plastic waste in the environment must be highest priority. A solution is needed for those cases in which an entry into the environment cannot be avoided or recycling is not possible. Biodegradable plastics are a possible answer here. Especially, the biopolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) presents itself as a promising material, although its high brittleness causes some challenges. To address this issue, PHBV was blended with the biopolymer PBAT and a biodegradable plasticizer was added. While analyzing the rheological and mechanical properties, it was observed that with increasing PBAT and plasticizer concentration, both viscosity and Young’s modulus decreased while the elongation at break and impact strength increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding fillers to polymers allows highly functional materials and thereby properties like electrical conductivity that are not achievable by polymers themselves. But higher amounts of fillers cause an increase in viscosity and thus a change in flow behavior which in turn induces difficulties in plastic processing. Above a certain value (percolation threshold), there is a flow restriction. An important factor is the combination of the polymer and the filler and whether there are any interactions between each other. By differing the amorphous phase of polymers into a rigid amorphous and a mobile amorphous fraction, predictions about interactions are possible. The objective is the generation of such a flow restriction and the combined investigation of a polymer-particle-interaction. Polypropylene (PP) was used as matrix whereas minerals were used as filler materials in different amounts up to 40 vol.-%. SiO2 was chosen because it is available in different spherical sizes. Rheological investigations show that a higher aspect ratio leads to a faster increase in viscosity achieving the rheological threshold. As a result of the caloric investigations, the highly filled plastics show no interaction between polymer chains and filler surface. This leads to the conclusion that the change in flow behavior is mainly caused by direct interaction between the particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastics can be produced from mixing synthetic plastic waste with natural polymers. In this research, biodegradable plastic from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) waste and starch from palm oil empty fruit bunch was made. The HDPE wastes used were modified with 1% maleic anhydride as crosslinking agent with the help of 1% benzoyl peroxide as initiator. The method of mixing the material was done with two different methods, namely the reflux method and the melt blending method with variation of the ingredients added with a fixed ratio of HDPE-g-MA: Starch (60:40). Conclusion from the analysis of the mechanical properties, thermal properties and morphological properties, biodegradable plastic with rheomix method has advantages over reflux method where the tensile strength value is 15.970 N/m2 and 3.518% elongation value. The thermal properties can be seen from the melting point at a temperature of 128.3° C, decomposition point at 488.23° C and carbon residue from Thermal Gravimetry Analysis (TGA) test is 2.537%. From the analysis of morphological properties as can be seen in SEM observation showed biodegradable plastic made by melt blending method have a more even mixture that minimizes the pores on biodegradable plastic produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The packaging for food is an essential factor in food production, carrying the function for protection of the quality of food and its safety. Food packaging materials with sufficient thermal stability, mechanical strength, and antibacterial characteristics are required in the safety of food and to expand the expiration of food in the packaging, especially from food contamination by foodborne bacteria. Currently, petroleum-based plastics are used for food packaging industry. However, this type of plastic is non-degradable and can cause a more serious environmental problem. Therefore, biodegradable plastic with the addition of antibacterial is needed. PVA/starch crosslinked bioplastic may be used as a food packaging material because it is cheap, biodegradable and have excellent mechanical properties. Kelor (Moringa oleifera) leaf has an antibacterial ability due to its active compounds such as tannin and flavonoid. Kelor leaf is also nontoxic, abundant, and easy to find in Indonesia, making it the right candidate for an antibacterial compound for food packaging plastics. In this research, we examined the antibacterial activity of kelor leaves extract as an additive of bioplastic PVA/starch crosslinked with citric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse environmental degradation created by various plastics produced from petroleum products is a major concern for the world nations. The developed and developing nations have adopted various strategies on the production and usage of highly hazardous conventional plastics. Various research works have been undertaken to formulate a sustainable alternative for the conventional plastics. In this regard, an effort was made to synthesis a biodegradable polymer for large scale commercial usage in packaging applications. Biodegradable polymers can be produced from various resources. The study involves the production of bio-plastic from Banana peel and Prosopis juliflora. Cellulose, a major component required for biopolymer synthesis was extracted from Prosopis juliflora which then combined and processed with dried banana peel. Additives and preservatives that contributes to the polymer characteristics were added in suitable proportions and processed under defined conditions. The mixture was then dried at a temperature of 130℃ to yield the final product. The biopolymers thus produced were tested for its water absorption capacity, thermal resistance, tensile strength, biodegradability and microbial attacks. It was observed that water absorption capacity of the biopolymer was lower for lesser starch and higher cellulose concentrations. The tensile strength was found to be 0.67 N/mm² which was due to the addition of zinc oxide. No microbial attack was observed during storage and it was also found that the biopolymer was able to withstand high temperature up to 130℃ during its usage [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increase in construction activities leads to innovation of many new building materials as there is scarcity of available resources. Continuous researches are undergoing in various parts of the world to find new building materials in concrete. One such waste used in such research is non-biodegradable wastes, mainly plastics. This study presents the various research works conducted to use non-biodegradable waste materials as a building material. Various forms of wastes and the tests conducted to use the same as a construction entity is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic product is one of the global problems due to the processes of degradation it takes thousands of years to decompose. Scientists in the world proposed a solution by using bioplastics. In this study, we synthesis bioplastics from cassava starch mixed with glycerin at various concentration (3%, 6%, 9%) and carbon at various concentration (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%). The biodegradability of the bioplastics was studied and provided the moisture absorption, tensile strength, and the structural properties by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The high concentration of glycerin (≥ 6%) would accelerate the degradation process 2 times higher than the lowest concentration. The degradation process and the mechanical properties increased with increasing the amount of carbon in bioplastic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been considerable attention in the development of biodegradable plastic. Our current use and disposal of synthetic-based conventional plastics caused high rates of land-fill problems because of its persistence in the environment. Many renewable resources have been used as a source of starch and cellulose as bioplastic constituents. One of the most available biomasses that have not been explored is water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes). In the present study, we investigated the fabrication of biodegradable plastic made with a matrix of 3% and 5% mixture of starch and cellulose extracted from water hyacinth in different weight ratios of 10:0, 9:1, 8:2, and 7:3. The addition of water hyacinth cellulose was purposed as a reinforcing agent to improve the performances of the starch bioplastics. Chitosan with a matrix of 1% was also added to improve the mechanical function of starch bioplastic. There were two main steps performed to isolate water hyacinth cellulose, i.e., bleaching and alkali treatment. The chemical and physical characteristics of starch-based bioplastics and their composites were then analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the tensile strength and bioplastic degradation tests were also conducted to study the performance and biodegradability. The FTIR data shows that the functional group's absorption revealed corresponds to the pure cellulose indicating the successful cellulose isolation from water hyacinth. The tensile strength of bioplastic starch-chitosan increases with the addition of water hyacinth cellulose. The improvement of the physical properties of bioplastic starch was achieved through the addition of chitosan and water hyacinth. The mixture of starch-chitosan combined with water hyacinth cellulose produces environmentally friendly bioplastics shown by the increased mechanical and physical properties compared to starch-alone bioplastic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes UV-Visible (UV-Vis) performance of urea beads coated with banana peels bioplastics and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR-50). Both banana peels bioplastics and ENR-50 were used as coating materials to the urea beads. Three different type of salts which are NaCl, MgCl2 and MgSO4 with different concentrations was added to this coating materials to produce pores and later modify the release rate of urea. UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques was applied to study the performance of urea release rate. The results of 30 days release study indicate the performance of coating materials is depend on types and its salts concentration. The addition of 5 wt% of MgSO4 salt recorded lowest urea concentration at 3 mg/mL, followed by 15 wt% of NaCl at 4.4 mg/mL and 5 wt% of MgCl2 at 9 mg/mL respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactide (PLA) is one of the most important bioplastics on the market with a permanent growth in production capacity. Due to its good mechanical properties, it is comparable to polystyrene. But in terms of foaming the melt strength and extensibility of commercial polylactide are rather low. Therefore such commercial grades often need to be chemically modified to induce crosslinking, chain extension or grafting by means of reactive extrusion on a twin-screw extruder. In this work different polylactide grades were used, to better understand the influence of the molecular characteristics, such as molecular weight, acid value and D-content, not only on the modification mechanism, but also on the foam properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light weight vehicle design is a principal keystone to improving fuel efficiency and vehicle performance whilst reducing adverse environmental impacts. At this point, graphene is a solution with a high potential to further reduce vehicle weight and improve mechanical and thermal properties. With a unique combination of mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, graphene shows great potential for exploitation in the automotive industry. In the present work, we developed a technology for the production of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) from recycled carbon black obtained from the pyrolysis of waste tire by using recycling and upcycling technology. This graphene is comparably cheaper than available ones in the market. This graphene as a reinforcing and nucleating agent was used to reduce glass fiber amount for the production of cost-effective and light-weight automotive plastic composite part by extrusion and injection techniques. With this newly developed compound, polyamide 66 (PA66) based automotive part was produced by the integration of 1 wt% GNP and providing 10% weight reduction. Consequently, this multidisciplinary work will favor the integration of new knowledge and will ensure significant innovation potential in the field of new thermoplastic based composites for the automotive industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastics find more and more applications. In addition to biodegradable packaging, the number and type of products also being used in medical applications is increasing. The goal of the presented research is development technique for preparation of microcellular foams based on biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and its co-polymers for biomedical applications. The goal is to understand the influence of microblowing agents on the course and efficiency of microcellular process of injection molding biodegradable polymer compounds as well as on the properties of the obtained products. Polylactide (PLA) under the trade name NatureWorks Ingeo 2002D modified with chemical blowing agents having an exothermic and endothermic character of the distribution was used during the tests. The blowing agents used in the injection molding process were inserted into polymers processed in the following amounts: 0.5%, 1.5% and 3.0% wt. The article presents the characteristics of the process of injection of biodegradable plastics and the study of selected physical properties of the materials produced. The research on the structure of manufactured materials, density and the degree of porosity, mechanical strength, impact resistance and hardness are presented. It was found that as a result of the increased temperature in the plasticizing system, the blowing agents decompose and the resulting numerous microcells, due to pressure and surface development, immediately mix with the plastic. The resulting microcells are filled with both air and gases, increasing the volume of PLA. There was a change in the examined physical properties of the tested materials, mainly mechanical strength of the tested PLA compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escalating plastic pollution has belted out the demand for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a type of biodegradable plastic. PHA could be synthesized within the cells of bacteria in aerobic granules which primarily functions to degrade wastewater. As the distribution of PHA producing bacteria is dependable on diffusion of oxygen, it is the principal interest in this study. Aerobic dynamic feeding (ADF) strategy was used for the sequential batch reactor (SBR). Microbubble aerator has been used to produce air bubbles (∅ < 10 μm) in SBR. Aeration rate was regulated at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 L/min in mixed aerobic granules sizes while in another set of experiment, the aerobic granules’ diameter was segregated into three different ranges (1.0-1.4; 1.4-1.7; >1.7 mm). Total PHA accumulation, localization of PHA producing bacteria, and COD removal were studied for both set of experiments. Aerobic granules’ cross sections were examined under trinocular stereozoom microscope. It was found that, the highest PHA accumulation was at 1.5 L/min (3.9 mg PHA /g of wet aerobic granules) for mixed aerobic granules size. For 1.5 L/min of aeration rate, more PHA producing bacteria was spotted and they were located within 1 μm from the core of the granules as compared to only at 2 μm in 1.0 L/min aeration rate. Meanwhile, COD removal was 90% once the system has achieved steady state irrespective of the aeration rates and granules sizes. On the other hand, it was discovered that aerobic granules diameter of 1.0-1.4 mm accumulated the highest amount of PHA (7.9 mg PHA /g of wet aerobic granules). For aerobic granules at 1.0-1.4 mm diameter, almost 80% of granules were dominated by PHA accumulating bacteria. In short, microbubble aerator found to increase the oxygen diffusivity and smaller diameter aerobic granules could accumulate more PHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastic or bioplastic as eco-friendly polymers are used for replacement of commercial plastics in the market due to its biodegradability and non-pollutant properties. Bioplastics give many advantages for food packaging and medical purposes. Bioplastics can be manufactured from natural fiber as the main source. One of the main potentials of natural fibers in Indonesia is rice straw. The aims of this research were to manufacture bioplastics and to study their physical and mechanical characteristics. Bioplastics were made by mixing rice straw pulp as main cellulose source with plasticizer and chitosan as additives. Glycerol as a plasticizer was added with the variation of glycerol concentrations of 25%, 30%, and 35%. The test done on the bioplastics were molecular structure analysis using Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), water swelling test, oil swelling test, tensile strength test using Universal Testing Machine, and soil-based biodegradation test. Results showed that best bioplastics (bioplastic with 35% glycerol) in this study contains functional groups of N-H (3393.9 cm−1), O-H (3391cm−1), C-H (2938.68 cm−1), C-O (1111.05 cm−1), C-N (1230.64 cm−1). It resulted 86.866% in water swelling test, 29.109% in oil swelling test, 6 MPa in tensile strength test, and it broke at 65% elongation. During biodegradation test for 15 days under dry soil and wet soil, the weight of the bioplastic reduced 18.496% and 21.317%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agar is a biodegradable material which can be used as counterpart of petro plastic. Also it is easily available and eco-friendly but its mechanical strength, thermal degradation, etc. are needed to be improved. In this direction, making composites of Agar with Graphene/its derivatives can be the promising approach. The credit is because of the novel features of graphene derivatives due to atomic dimension of graphene layer. As a step to achieve this objective, the composites of Agar and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were prepared with different loading concentration of RGO (1, 1.5 and 2 wt. %) through solution casting method. Their optical and thermal behavior has been studied through UVVisible and Thermogravemetric Analysis (TGA) respectively. With the addition of maximum 2 wt% of RGO in Agar, drastic decrease in optical transmittance of Agar has been observed. This UV blocking property of these composites can be exploited in the packaging application to prevent chemical degradation of the material caused by UV light. Also, thermal stability has been found to be increased as an effect of loading of RGO in Agar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastics are one of the breakthroughs in the effort to reduce plastic waste. A biodegradable plastic can be produced from microalgae with high protein content, such as Spirulina platensis. Microalgae were mixed with a polymer; polyvinyl alcohol was used in this research to create the bioplastics. Other materials were glycerol as a plasticizer to increase flexibility, and maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer to strengthen the bond between the microalgae and polymer. This research aims to produce biodegradable plastic with mechanical properties similar to conventional plastics, i.e. tensile strength of 26.37 kgf/cm² and elongation of 55%. This research varied the amount of maleic anhydride, which were 0% wt, 2% wt, 4% wt, and 6% wt. Mechanical properties, i.e. tensile strength and elongation and surface morphology with SEM have been analyzed. Based on the experiment, the excellent compatibilizer composition for bioplastic film is 6% wt, which shows the tensile strength at 28.26 kgf/cm2 and elongation at 59.17%. Surface morphology comparison with SEM shows that bioplastic film with compatibilizer has more uniform surface than without compatibilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics have an important role in human life. But the difficulty of plastic degradation makes the emergence of much research to produce plastics that are easily degraded. Bio-based plastics are a major attraction for addressing environmental challenges and sustainable issues. The purpose of this study is to make bioplastics from cassava skin by fermentation. Cassava skin is a common waste found in Indonesia which is just thrown away so it can pollute the environment. Cassava skin contains starch which is the main material of making biodegradable polymer. In this study, the plastics were synthesized using nata method, where the content of cassava starch was fermented with Acetobacter vylinum bacteria and given plasticizer addition. Variation of plasticizer type (1.4 butanediol and polyethylene glycol) and variations of its concentration (0.5%, 0.1%) were done this study. The addition of a plasticizer is intended to improve the quality of the mechanical properties of the synthesized film. The results were in the form of bioplastic sheet and tested for characteristics in accordance with the mechanical properties from bioplastic which are among others of tensile strength, elongation and biodegradability. The best result is bioplastic sheet with the addition of 0.5% polyethylene glycol plasticizers have better mechanical properties with a tensile test value of 312.93 MPa (31.91 kgf/mm), an extension of 5.09% and the rate of degradation in the soil 0,02gram / day. FTIR spectrum shows that the main chemical groups are OH, N-H (3342.03 cm−1), C-O (1054.87 cm−1), C=C (1646.91 cm−1) and NO2 (1316.21 cm−1). This research successfully produced bioplastic sheet by Nata method using 0,5% polyethylene glycol as plasticizer and cellulose from fermentation skin cassava starch as matrix. In the future prospects, this bioplastic sheet can be developed as plastic bags and food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocomposite from natural rubber toughen polylactic acid (PLA) and kenaf core powder (KF) was prepared by melt blending method. The effect of kenaf loading on the biocomposite was studied based on the processability, tensile properties and morphological study. Processing and stabilization torque of biocomposite increased with increasing kenaf loading attributed from more resistance to shearing action generated by kenaf particles in the biocomposites. Addition of kenaf core powder was found to deteriorate the tensile strength and elongation at break of biocomposite due to poor interfacial adhesion as proven by FESEM micrograph. However, the tensile modulus was enhanced gradually with kenaf loading because of the rigidity and stiffness of kenaf core powder itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic starch is an interesting material, due to lower cost of production and more environmental friendly. To develop biodegradable plastics, modification of the starch is required to improve its characteristics and properties. Therefore, an analysis was done to study the effect of an alkaline treatment with NaOH and glutardialdehyde crosslinking on the structure, physical and mechanical properties of thermoplastic corn starch (CS). The modified form have been characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The effect of alkaline treatments (NaOH) and the chemical modification of starch with glutardialdehyde significantly showed better thermal stability compared to using only starch. The modified starch, S/0.5M 20g showed very good performance and high stability after polymer blending and crosslinking, which will be beneficial for the plastic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of this study was to assess possible influence of chitosan-based gels (without cross-linker treatment and cross-linked with one of the next substances - glutaraldehyde, hexamethylene diisocyanate or oxidized alginate) onto live tissues in in vivo animal model and evaluate and select optimal sterilization method of such biodegradable materials. Sterilization of all chitosan gel samples were performed using three different methods: steam sterilization, lowtemperature hydrogen peroxide plasma and radiation sterilization. The best swelling degree values were obtained for chitosan gels cross-linked with glutaraldehyde or hexamethylene diisocyanate. Further in vivo animal model 14-day evaluation showed no toxic, immunosuppression or sensitization effects nor dystrophic and autoimmune changes in live tissues that have been directed in contact with implanted polymer. Among all three evaluated sterilization methods the best one was the radiation sterilization in terms of preserving the desired characteristics of swelling and minimal changes in chemical composition and properties of sterilized materials, even with 25 kGy absorbed dose that allows sterility assurance level at 10-6 to be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioplastics, which will see rising demand in the next years, have to be compounded by using a twin screw extruder like conventional plastics. By using a twin-screw extruder, the molecular weight of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) can be degraded under control. In a second step, the short-chain PHB and a soft phase can be compounded to a larger block copolymer by means of reactive extrusion. The processing step takes place in a process- and material-efficient manner without catalysts, solvents and purification processes. The development of the block copolymer improves the ductile properties of the material without changing the thermal or chemical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactide (PLA) is the most important bioplastic on the market due to its good mechanical properties and a permanent growth of the production capacity. But in terms of extrusion foaming the melt strength and extensibility of commercial polylactide is too low. Therefore such commercial grades need to be modified to induce crosslinking, chain extension or branching by means of reactive extrusion on a twin-screw extruder. In this work different modifiers (chemical as well as physical modifiers) were used. The most effective results were achieved with organic peroxide. With this modifier the molecular weight, the melt viscosity, the melt strength and the crystallization rate were improved leading to foams with a closed-cell structure and improved compression behavior. Furthermore, the modifier was found to be more effective than a commercial modifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most perspective directions of tissue engineering development is the use of synthetic biodegradable polymers based on polyurethane, polycaprolactone, polylactic and polyglycolic acids structures and their co-polymers. Electrospinning was shown to be an optimal way to produce nanofibers suitable for building biodegradable and highly biocompatible scaffolds. This study is devoted to the preparation of various polymer nanofilaments used as a substrate for cell therapy of cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is introducing new natural fibers for use as fillers in a polymeric matrix enabling production of cost-effective, biodegradable, and lightweight composites for load carrying structures. Abaca (Musa textilis) fiber, one such kind, is rich in cellulose relatively inexpensive, and abundantly available. In this study, investigations on the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of abaca fiber are carried out, such as the density, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are determined experimentally. Analysis of the tensile force of the fiber, elongation of the fiber, and water absorption of the fiber in load direction and fiber length are also carried out. The data of chemical and physical analysis showed the abaca fiber has high cellulose (66.43%), hemicellulose (24.7%), lignin (13.6%) and low water content (0.7%), that results caused the fiber has high value of mechanical property with tensile strength up to 308,7 MPa. The FTIR spectra showed the presence of several functional groups that can be found in lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose. The surface microphotograph showed the fiber has micron size and curled shape. The DSC thermal analysis was performed to determine the thermal property of abaca fiber also to determine its suitability as bioplastic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work investigates the characterization of cassava as gel polymer electrolyte for zinc-air battery. The usage of application energy storage such as battery are important due to energy renewable, emergency power supply and portable energy. Commonly, polymer gel electrolyte is not biodegradable and harmful to environmental. Besides, it also faces the problem of leakage that might affect short the life cycle of battery. To overcome the problem, cassava gel electrolyte with additional potassium hydroxide is potential and should be suitable material due to biodegradable and could prevent leakage. Preparation cassava gel electrolyte started by mixing cassava powder with deionized water before heated to gelling form present. The cassava gel then mixed with different KOH concentration forming cassava GPE. The ionic conductivity, viscoelastic and window stability were evaluated using varying cassava amount and KOH concentration. Conductivity value of pure cassava gel increase drastically after adding KOH solution. The highest ionic conductivity of cassava GPE recorded was at 6 M KOH. The viscosity of cassava GPE was remain constant and does not shown high different in value as the concentration KOH was increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tacca leontopetaloides starch or arrowroot is an alternative renewable source in a bio-plastic. It is widely used as chemical additives or food industries. It is noticed that size distributions, crystallinity and thermal properties of starch granules play key roles for industrial applications. Therefore, this research focuses on the study of the physio-chemical properties of the arrowroot from the local area. The arrowroot was extracted by a simple route and non-chemical solvent. The precipitated strarch was filtered and dried in the ambient temperature. After that, the homogeneous of white starch was achieved. The surface and crystallinity of the starch granules was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis of arrowroot displays the hydroxyl group and acetal groups which are the significant functional groups in most polysaccharides. Finally, the stability behavior of thermal properties of arrowroot was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased use of plastics can cause adverse effects on the environment. One solution is to choose biodegradable plastic. Biodegradable plastic is a plastic that can be decomposed with the help of microorganisms. Students must have environmental knowledge in order to choose biodegradable plastic. Environmental knowledge includes the use of plastics and the impact that arises. This study aimed to determine the contribution of environmental knowledge towards the selection of biodegradable plastic. This research was conducted at the Biology Education Study Program of State University of Jakarta. The research used a descriptive method through correlational study. Sampling was done through a simple random sampling technique with 79 students. Data showed a normal distribution and a homogeneous variance. The regression model obtained was Y = 88.124 + 0.223X. The correlation coefficient was 0.223, which means there was only low correlation. This research concluded that environmental knowledge supported 4.97% of students' choice to select biodegradable plastic. This indicates that many other factors influence the behavior of biodegradable plastics selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of ours research projects aimed at evaluating biodegradable amphiphilic polymers of natural origin and from renewable resources, we designed nanomicelle systems based on Inulin (INU) and Vitamin E (VITE), denoted as INVITE, in order to combine specific behaviours of the natural fructan-type polysaccharide Inulin and the antioxidant activity of Vitamin E for specific delivery of drugs. In particular, we selected INU as the main component because it is a natural polysaccharide extracted from many plants, hydrophilic, cheap, FDA-approved and routinely used by intravenous injection and it has been used for pharmaceutical applications in different forms such as hydrogels, micelles, nanoparticles. VITE is one of the most powerful anti-oxidant that nature uses in its cycles, and in the human body is involved in several processes including cancer and oxidative stress. INVITE conjugate, obtained by the combination of INU and VITE, is able to self-assemble in nanosized (< 20 nm) micelles. Moreover, by considering the physical-chemical and biological characteristics of INVITE micelles and their derivatives, they could be proposed for passive targeting to the kidneys, such as carrier of lipophilic drug for i.v. administration and for subsequent site-specific drug release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aims to investigate the behavior induced by multiple injections molding cycles on the properties of olive husk flour reinforced poly lactic acid composites. The effect of the chemical treatment was studied. Biocomposite compounds (20wt% of OHF) are manufactured by twin-screw extrusion. Then, multiple injections and grinding cycles were performed (up to 8 cycles) to obtain normalized samples. Mechanical properties were performed at a macro-scale using tensile tests. The results show that the Young modulus of the composites has slightly decreased with the number of cycles and a slight reduction in the elongation at break was noticed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the frame of a project aiming to the improvement of the properties of biodegradable polyester-based devices designed for bone regeneration, we have prepared and characterized novel composites based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and nanohydroxyapatite (HA). In particular, in this paper we report the preparation, the morphology and the rheological properties of nanocomposites obtained with PCL and its less hydrophobic derivative, PCL-MAGMA [(maleic anhydride (MA)-glycidylmethacrylate (GMA)] including different amounts of nanohydroxyapatite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the presented work is to evaluate the thermal behavior of Poly-lactic acid (PLA) parts made with a Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) process. By using a robust framework for the testing sequence of PLA parts, with the aim of establishing a standard testing cycle for the optimization of the part performance and quality. The research involves study the materials before and after 3D printing. Two biodegradable PLA polymers are investigated, characterized by different colors (one black and the other transparent). The study starts with the examination of each polymeric material and measurements of its main thermal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BCNFs) as a sustainable and biodegradable polymer has drawn tremendous research attention in tissue engineering, bacterial sensors and drug delivery due to its extraordinary properties such as high purity, high crystallinity, high water absorption capacity and excellent mechanical strength in the wet state. This awesome properties, is attributed to BCNFs structure, therefore its characterization is important. In this work, the bacterial strain, Gluconacetobacter xylinus (PTCC 1734, obtained from Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST)), was used to produce BCNFs hydrogel using bacterial fermentation under static condition at 29 °C for 10 days in the incubator. Then, the biosynthesized BCNFs wet gel, were dried at ambient temperature and pressure and characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis. FESEM image displayed highly interconnected and porous structure composed of web-like continuous, nanofibers with an average diameter of 48.5±2.1 nm. BET result analysis depicted BCNFs dried at ambient conditions had IV isotherm type, according to the IUPAC classification, indicating that BCNFs dried at ambient condition is essentially mesoporous. On the other hand, BET results depicted, mesoporous structure is around 85%. In addition, Specific surface area (SBET) obtained 81.45 m2/g. These results are in accordance with the FESEM observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disposal of polymeric waste is increasingly becoming an issue of international concern. The use of biodegradable polymers is a possible strategy to face most of the problems related to the disposal of the durable (nonbiodegradable) polymers. Among biodegradable polymers, PLA (obtained from renewable sources) is a very attractive one, due to its good processability, biocompatibility, interesting physical properties. Hydrolysis is the major depolymerisation mechanism and the rate-controlling step of PLA biodegradation in compost. The propensity to degradation in the presence of water significantly limits specific industrial applications such as automobile, biomedical, electronic and electrical appliances, agriculture. Therefore the control of biodegradation rate is somewhat even more important than the characteristic of biodegradability itself. This is the reason why it is critical to find additives able to modulate the biodegradation rate of biodegradable polymers in relationship to the expected lifetime. Since the kinetics of hydrolysis strongly depend on the pH of the hydrolyzing medium, in this work some fillers able to control the pH of water when it diffuses inside the polymer were added to PLA. In particular, fumaric acid, a bio- and eco-friendly additive, was used. In order to control the dispersion of this molecule inside the polymer, it was intercalated in a biocompatible nanofiller: layered double hydroxides (LDH). These fillers were added to the material using meltcompounding technique, suitable for industrial application. The preliminary results obtained are encouraging toward the possibility of effectively controlling the degradation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable polylactic acid nanocomposites for orthopaedic implants require optimum particle dispersion and high molecular weight in load bearing applications. Novel coated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles can offer new opportunities for enhanced dispersion during melt compounding. Nanocomposites compounded with a Minilab recirculating twin screw extruder have improved flexural strength when compared to the pure polymer. Dispersion of particles within the matrix was determined from transmission electron micrographs. Chromatography revealed that the polymer matrix of nanocomposites compounded over dry nitrogen had a higher molecular weight than that over air, and hence should exhibit delayed degradation within the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun scaffolds based on hydrophobic and biodegradable polymers exhibit good mechanical properties but are not suitable for cell attachment. In contrast, scaffolds with natural polymers show inherent tendency for cell attachment, but they are mechanically brittle. Thus core-shell nanostructured scaffolds are expected to be the best candidate. In the present work, attempts have been made to design and fabricate nonwoven mat based on nanofibers with core-shell structure comprising thermoplastic urethane elastomer (TPU) and gelatin as core and shell, respectively. For this purpose, electrospun process was employed with a core-shell type needle, and two polymers were processed in the form of solution in several solvent. We've tried to use many solvents such as: DMF, DMAC, DCM, THF, HFIP and their mixture for TPU and TFA, TFE, AA, FA, DMF, HFIP and their mixture for Gt, but just HFIP as a solvent for two solutions, lead to produce core-shell structure. Effects of solution and processing parameters upon the developed nanofibers and corresponding mat micro morphology were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) evidenced the formation of the gelatin layer on the TPU fibers as the core. The bulk mechanical properties of the obtained mat was evaluated and correlated with the diameter and orientation of the core-shell nanofibers. The surface of the prepared mat exhibited a good hydrophilic behavior with excellent surface softness in the presence of an aqueous media, indicating the potential for the preparation of scaffolds with desired bulk mechanical strength as well as biocompatibility for mussel and tendon regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of reactive agents on the rheological behaviors, morphology and mechanical properties of two biodegradable polyesters; poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) reinforced with eucalyptus fiber. Two types of reactive agents, chain extender (Joncryl®) and peroxide (Perkadox® 14), were selected. Biocomposites consisting of a constant fiber loading of 10 wt% with and without reactive agents were prepared by one-step melt-mixing methods via an internal mixer with the rotational speed of 60 rpm and the temperature of 150 and 190 °C for PBS and PLA, respectively. The biocomposite samples were then compression-molded for tensile testing. Rheological and morphological properties of the biocomposites were also investigated by means of dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) and scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The results revealed the presence of Joncryl® in PLA biocomposites caused the increase of mixing torque, complex viscosity, storage modulus and mechanical properties when compared to the addition of peroxide. The increase of complex viscosity of PLA biocomposites added Joncryl® was due to the increase in the population of the higher molecular weights as confirmed by GPC analysis. In the case of PBS biocomposites, it showed a dramatic increase in the complex viscosity and storage modulus with decreasing crossover frequencies when adding peroxide rather than adding Joncryl®. The SEM micrographs demonstrated that the compatibility between the polymer matrix and fiber was improved when adding a small amount of Joncryl® and peroxide for both polymers, except for 0.5 phr peroxide loading, leading to an improvement of their modulus and tensile strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to intensive research in the field of material development considerable progress in terms of processing and performance characteristics could be achieved during the last years. Therefore, bio-based plastics are increasingly being used for the production of durable injection moulded components. Several applications can be found in the automotive sector, in the field of consumer electronics or the sports industry. For an economic production, joining technology often plays a key role to realise modular designed components. Detachable connections, which are frequently used in plastics processing (e. g. snap hooks or screw connections), often reach their limits with respect to reliability and tightness of the joint. In order to meet the increasing requirements on the joint, plastics joining processes can allow suitable component assembly. Bio-based plastics may differ from conventional plastics regarding their processing properties, such as the melting and solidification behaviour. For these reasons, investigations were carried out to gain extensive process knowledge about the welding of bio-based plastics. To perform a scientific examination of the influence of the moulding process on the mechanical weld seam quality, cellulose and lactic acid based plastics were selected and injection moulded with varying parameters like melt temperature, mould temperature and injection flow rate. In subsequent welding experiments using ultrasonic welding, materially bonded connections have been produced and analysed with regard to mechanical and morphological properties. The investigations show that all of the selected bio-based plastics can be welded. Depending on the material and the welding method the choice of the moulding parameters can have different influences on the weld seam strength. For example, a higher mould temperature during injection moulding can lead to higher weld seam strengths for ultrasonic welded test specimens of lactic acid-based plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ polymerization is implemented to disperse crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) in poly(ethylene succinate) (PESu). This method resulted in excellent nanoparticle dispersion within the polymer matrix. The addition of small amounts of CNCs resulted in a slight decrease in viscosity, indicative of a reduction in the molecular weight of the polymer, attributed to altered polymerization kinetics in the presence of the CNC. Significant increases in the viscosity, with the presence of a yield stress were observed above 0.75 wt% CNC. PESu composites containing well-dispersed CNCs had higher crystallization temperatures and demonstrated significantly improved crystallization kinetics at loadings of up to 0.75 wt% CNC. Composites containing 0.25 wt% CNC retained their ductility, whereas at higher loadings the increases in Young's modulus were counteracted by a substantial loss in elongation at break. This work demonstrated that CNC is a very efficient nucleating agent for biodegradable aliphatic polyesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) nanocomposites were prepared and characterized. It was observed that GNP incorporation enhanced the thermal stability, electrical conductivity and Young's modulus of the matrix markedly. Melt flow behaviours of the prepared nanocomposites were investigated via dynamic oscillatory measurements. Viscoelastic properties exhibited significant enhancement with increasing GNP loading. The effect of GNPs was more pronounced in the storage modulus which exhibited weaker frequency dependency in the low frequency region. Rheological percolation threshold of GNPs in PBAT was determined to be in vicinity of 9 wt% at 140 °C. Interestingly, percolation was found to be temperature sensitive, occurring at lower GNP concentrations as the temperature was increased further from the system's melting point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) has been known as an excellent candidate for developing the future bioplastic due to its biodegradability and competitive price. However, inherent brittleness and low thermal stability of PLA have limited its applications. Considerable studies have been developed to improve the flexibility of PLA, in which blending PLA with various plasticizers has been identified as a cost-effective way to lower glass-transition temperature (Tg) and thus improve its elongation property. In this study, PLA was modified by incorporating poly(ethylene glycol) as a plasticizer with different molecular weights (*w 400, 1000, and 6000, called respectively as PEG 400, PEG 1000, and PEG 6000) via a solvent-casting blend method. FTIR was used for analyzing the chemical interaction while TGA and DSC measured the thermal behavior of PLA/PEG. The results indicated that the addition of lower *w (PEG 400 and PEG 1000) could reduce the Tg due to the enhancement of chain mobility of PLA with PEG and so driving into a more amorphous states resulted reduction of melting temperature (Tm) compared to the neat PLA. Further, at a higher *w of PEG 6000, the longer chain of ethylene glycol, in contrast, resulted a gradual increase in the Tg as well as Tm where the value went back to the point of neat PLA compared to the other lower molecular weight of PLA. This was due to the decrease in polymer miscibility with the increasing of *w. In terms of thermal stability, the addition of PEG exhibited two step degradation behavior while the neat PLA only possessed single step degradation. The presence of PEG could act as a protective barrier layer that could hinder the permeability of the volatile compound and product during decomposition reaction and thus could eventually delay and slower the degradation process. It was observed that the addition of PEG at higher *w (PEG1000 and PEG 6000) exhibited a higher second degradation temperature up to 380 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water absorption in polymer blends such as starch-based bioplastic films is important to evaluate the stability characteristics of such films in water that will affect their long-term performance in final products. In this study, the absorbency of starch-based bioplastic films made from potato, cassava, and corn starches that have went through the hydrolysis process first to alter its characteristics and properties in terms of granular swelling and hydrophilicity behaviour. The final results showed that hydrolyzed cassava bioplastic film has the ability to absorb more water compared to hydrolyzed potato and corn bioplastic films. The reading of hydrolyzed cassava bioplastic film on the seventh day of immersion for all ratios were between 87.83% to 131.29%, while for hydrolyzed potato bioplastic films was 69.48% to 92.41% and hydrolyzed corn bioplastic films was 66.28% to 74.18%. Meanwhile, the density analysis was evaluated to determine its physical properties towards moisture condition. The results showed that the hydrolyzed cassava bioplastic films have higher density compared to the other two, which indicated that it is a more favourable raw material to produce biodegradable planting pot due to its ability to absorb more water. Hence, still manage to retain its shape with low brittle surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretch blow moulding process has been used for the manufacture of bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) made by poly (l-lactic acid) (PLLA) to improve its mechanical performance. In order to better understand the process, thermomechanical properties of PLLA were investigated by experimental method. Extruded PLLA sheets were biaxial stretched under strain rate of 1s-1, 4s-1 and 16s-1 to simulate the deformation process applicable in the blow moulding process. Both the equal-biaxial stretch and constant-width stretch were conducted by an in-house developed equipment. By differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermal analysis for materials before and after stretch were compared to evaluate the microstructural change of PLLA materials in the deformation process. A constitutive model based on glass rubber model was presented to simulate the mechanical behaviour of PLLA above glass transition under biaxial deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demands of plastic material which increase with the increasing of human population encourage researchers to find alternative solution to replace petro based plastic. Thus, in the present study, a novel "green bioplastic" packaging was developed using soybean waste which is a major waste in soy sauce food industry. The evaluation of the effect of ratio of starch, soy waste and plasticizer in this bioplastic production was studied and their characteristics were compared with available bioplastics. Characteristics study was done in terms of burning test, water absorption capacity, thermal and tensile strength measurement and the result obtained were analyzed. The glass transition temperature (Tg) for soy waste bioplastic is 117°C. The water absorption test shows that an increase in mass up to 114.17% which show large amount of water uptake capacity of this bioplastics. And about 38% of percentage loss was observed when compared with other novel bioplastics. The results clearly show that the amount of glycerol as a plasticizer had an inversely proportional relationship with the Glass Transition Temperature (Tg). The average maximum force value for tensile strength test is 6.71 N. The burning test show that the soy wastes bioplastic release a very faint smell of soy and glue-like substance. The flame ignited a Yellowish-Orange colour and released some sparks. Based on the overall results, soy-based have been proven to become an excellent biobased packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach for the modification of polylactic acid (PLA) materials using atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) is described. PLA films plasma exposure time was 20, 60, 120 s. The surface morphology and wettability of the obtained PLA films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the sitting drop method. The atmospheric pressure plasma increased the roughness and surface energy of PLA film. The wettability of PLA has been improved with the application of an atmospheric plasma surface treatment. It was shown that it is possible to obtain PLA films with various surface relief and tunable wettability. Additionally, we demonstrated that the use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma for surface activation allows for the immobilization of bioactive compounds like hyaluronic acid (HA) on the surface of obtained films. It was shown that composite PLA-HA films have an increased long-term hydrophilicity of the films surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trifunctional aziridine linker, trimethylolpropane tris(2-methyl-1-aziridinepropionate) (TTMAP), was melt blended with linear polylactic acid (PLA) to make star branched PLA. Adding pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) led to long chain branched (LCB) PLA. Mixing torque evolution during melt processing revealed high reactivity of aziridine with the carboxyl end group on PLA and an incomplete reaction of PMDA with the hydroxyl end group. Star-shaped PLA exhibited higher viscosity but no strain hardening in extensional flow while LCB PLA showed significant extensional hardening. Excess TTMAP in the branching reaction resulted in gel formation, which led to failure at low strain in extension. PMDA conversion was estimated based on gelation theory. The strain rate dependence of extensional hardening indicated that the LCB PLA had a low concentration of long chain branched molecules with an H-shaped topology. Unlike current methods used to branch PLA, free radical chemistry or use of an epoxy functional oligomers, our branching strategy produced strain hardening with less increase in shear viscosity. This study provides guidelines for design of polymers with low shear viscosity, which reduces pressure drop in extrusion, combined with strong extensional hardening, which enhances performance in processes that involve melt stretching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocomposite plastics are plasticts that will decompose in nature with the assistance of microorganism. Cassava starch as the main material of plastic has great potential in Indonesia because this plant there are different starch crops. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of nanoclay on the physical structure using XRD. The results showed that the concentration of cassava starch with the best physical and mechanical properties is 5,0% (b/v) and glycerol 1,5% (v/v). XRD analysis show that the structure of bioplastic with nanoclay reinforcement have peak in 2θ were about 16.8°, 19.8°. After bioplastic was reinforced by nanoclay, structure of bioplastic change with shitf of peak angle to about 2θ of 17.4° and 20.1°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of hydroxyapatite (HA) content in printed biocomposite to its mechanical strength. The biocomposite paste was prepared by composing HA, bioplastic and sericin with various ratios of [HA/Bioplastic]: 40/60, 50/50, 60,40 and 70/30. Sericin of 0.3% weight was added to the biocomposite. Mechanical test was conducted to observe tensile (ASTM D 638 type 4) and flexural strength (ASTM D 790). Both type of specimens were fabricated using 3D Printer. Printing process parameter (infill speed, print speed and layer height) were set up as 60 mm/s, 10 mm/s, 0.35 mm, respectively. Results showed that biocomposite with [HA/Biplastic] weight ratio of 60/40(w/w) has an optimum tensile (3.89 ± 1.26 MPa) and flexural strength (2.51 ± 0.45 MPa). Scanning electron microscope observation indicated that microstructure of specimen was influenced by the percentage of the hydroxyapatite. There was no agglomeration of HA particle within the composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]