Synthesis and characterization of poly-lactic acid (PLA) biocomposites reinforced with rice husk and clay.

The use of non-biodegradable plastic causes piles of plastic waste that will pollute the environment for a long time. Poly-lactic acid (PLA) is considered a green polymer due to its biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, there are some limitations in applying PLA as a bioplastic. The use of rice husk microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and clay as fillers are considered possible routes to improve the characterization of PLA biocomposite. Extraction of MCC was carried out by several process, namely: alkali treatment, bleaching process, and acid hydrolysis. Morphological analysis of MCC was observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed that MCC is short, irregular, and rough. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed the removal of non-cellulose constituents. Furthermore, fabrication of PLA biocomposite was done by solvent casting method. The response of the developed biocomposite resulted in high water absorption properties with the addition of filler. The results is accordance with the the rate of biodegradation of biocomposite films which can be observed through burial in the soil. In addition, this study presents a slight improvement in the characterization of mechanical properties, namely PLA/10% Clay and PLA/10% MCC have higher strain than pure PLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]