Sintesis Plastik Biodegradable dari Onggok Singkong dengan Plasticizer Gliserol

Abstract

Cassava pulp is solid waste from the tapioca flour industry which has not been utilized optimally. Cassava pulp has a high carbohydrate content, so its starch compounds can be extracted as biodegradable plastics. The polymerization process of cassava cassava starch as a biodegradable plastic can be assisted by the addition of acetic acid. The synthesis of biodegradable plastic from cassava cassava starch was carried out through four stages, starch extraction from cassava pulp, biodegradable plastic manufacture, mechanical tests in the form of elongation and tensile strength, and biodegradation tests with Aspergillus niger. The method used in this study was starch blending with the addition of 0.5 acetic acid; 1.0; and 1.5 mL using a glycerol plasticizer. The results showed that acetic acid was able to improve the mechanical properties without decreasing the plastic degradation time. The highest tensile strength value was produced by the 1.5 mL acetic acid formulation, which was 55.42 MPa, while the largest elongation was in the 1 mL acetic acid formulation, which was 105.0%.