Mora Sartika, Maulida Lubis, M.B. Harahap, Elli Afrida, M.H.S. Ginting
The mechanical properties of bioplastic prepared from avocado seed starch and mycrocrystalline cellulose from sugar palm fibers as filler using Schweizer’s reagent as solvent was studied. Bioplastics were prepared from avocado seed starch and reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from sugar palm fibers with composition ratio were 7:3, 8:2 and 9:1 (w/w) and using glycerol as plasticizer with variation of 0.1; 0.2; 0.3 and 0.4 (v/w of starch). Microcrystalline cellulose dissolved in the copper solution (Schweizer reagent) with ratio of MCC:copper solution is 1:10. Degree of crystallinity of microcrystalline cellulose was 97.5 %. Morphologycal analysis showed that the isolated microcrystalline cellulose from sugar palm fibers are rod-like shape with diameter of 5.55-9.44 µm and crystallite size of 25.08 nm. Mechanical properties of bioplastic showed that the best condition of bioplastics obtained at comparison of mass starch-microcrystalline cellulose 7:3 and the addition of glycerol 0.1 (v/w) for tensile strength 20.874 MPa and elongation at break of 6.22 %. © 2018 Chemical Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Medan, Medan, Indonesia; Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Al Washliyah, Medan, Indonesia
