Cladophora Algae Cellulose and Starch Based Biocomposite as an Alternative For Environmentally Friendly Packaging Material

• Main Author: Octiano, Ilham
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/43853
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Packaging plastic is the biggest contributor to the plastic waste pandemic. Nowadays, the development of environmentally friendly packaging materials are a priority. Cellulose is a highly potential material to be used for alternative packaging materials. However, it has issues with its formability. The addition of starch is needed to fix the issue. the goal of this research is creating a biocomposite from cellulose and starch. This research will also explore the effects of starch addition to the mechanical, water resistance and biodegradation properties of the biocomposite. Cellulose is obtained by extraction from Cladophora algae. The extracted cellulose is dispersed with acid and later mixed with gelatinized starch. The biocomposite is formed via solution casting. The biocomposite is tested with tensile test, water degradation test and biodegradeability test. The biocomposite from cellulose and starch was successfully produced. The product shows excellent tensile strength and stiffness, with the highest tensile strength by 50% cellulose – 50% starch at around 90 MPa However as a packaging material, flexibility is still a concern. The water resistance is optimal when the cellulose-starch composition is one to one. The biodegradation properties are promising due to both its component having biodegradeable properties. This research can hopefully be used as a reference for future eco-friendly packaging development, especially based on cellulose or starch. Hopefully, this research can give a broader insight regarding the implementation of natural polymers and its potential development in further innovations.