The Feasibility of Corchorus capsularis L. Cellulose as Reinforcement in the Production of Bio-plastic

Abstract

Plastic has been a useful and versatile material with a variety of use but takes hundreds of years to breakdown. Plastics are made of non-renewable resources such as petroleum that causes air, water, and land pollution. Using white jute cellulose as reinforcement in producing bio-plastic, we tested the hypothesis that the bio-plastic can be a potential packaging material for lightweight products. The bio-plastic was a mixture of water, glycerin, cornstarch, vinegar and white jute fibre. The mixture was mixed at 70ºC for 90 minutes. It was placed in a glass mould and sun-dried. The samples were observed for biodegradability and tested for tensile strength. The data was analysed using One-Way ANOVA. Among the three samples tested, the bio-plastic with white jute fibres measured tensile strength of 2.92 N, the bio-plastic without white jute fibres had 2.19N, and the HDPE plastic had 1.96 N (Fcalc= 2.60, Ftab= 5.79 p<0.05, DFb= 2, DFW= 5). The biodegradability test indicated that the bio-plastic samples showed signs of decomposition. Moulds were present on the bio-plastic samples but not on the HDPE plastic. This study showed that the bio-plastic with white jute fibres could be an appropriate alternative material for packaging lightweight products. The biodegradability of the bio-plastic with white jute fibres signified it could be an alternative packaging material that is environmentally friendly. To improve the bio-plastic material produced in this study, further research should be conducted to find the best formulation of the ratio among the raw materials.