Producing of Biodegradable Plastic Films from Unmarketable Potato Tubers

Abstract

This study was conducted to reduce the volume of solid wastes by using unmarketable potato tubers for producing biodegradable plastic films to substitute oil-based plastics “OBP” which is often not biodegradable. Starch-based plastic films “SBP” were produced with different concentra-tions of glycerol (5, 10,15, 20,25, 30, 99.5%v/v) as a plasticizer. The physi-cal properties of SBP including thickness, density, water absorption, and bi-odegradability, were studied, as well as mechanical properties including ten-sile strength, modulus of elasticity, elongation % and the required energy for the firm were also investigated compared with OBP samples. The results showed that the maximum value of extracted starch was 13.5% obtained by blending potato tubers. SBP films with elevated glycerol concentration in-creased the sample thickness but decreased its density. Glycerol 20% gave the best flexible compact structure SBP films. The average thickness and density of SBP film (20% glycerol) were 0.25 mm and 80.11 Kg/m3 respec-tively. Meanwhile, the average thickness and density for OBP films were 0.41 mm and 24.39 Kg/m3 respectively. The rate of mass loss of SBP films with 20% glycerol concentration was 72% after 96 days while the rate of mass loss for OBP films is neglectable. Consumed energy for the firm was 44.05 and 31.06 N. mm.