A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH OF THERMOPLASTIC FILMS FROM TACCA LEONTOPETALOIDES STARCH REINFORCED WITH BIOCHAR RICE HUSK

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) films derived from Tacca leontopetaloides and biochar rice husk (RH) in chemical, morphological and water absorption. The films properties were characterized by FT-IR, SEM and water uptake test. In this study, the films were prepared by varying the glycerol content (v/v) at 5%, 10% and 15% through solution casting method and sulphur vulcanization method to produce TPS. While, TPS reinforced with bio-filler was further blended with 5wt% of biochar RH using the identical methods to produce TPS-BChr films. From the experiment, it was found that the varying amount of glycerol significantly affect the chemical structure, morphology and water absorption properties of films. FT-IR had indicated that increasing of glycerol content was displaced the peak of TPS and TPS-BChr. It had also confirm the existence interaction of biochar composite onto the TPS film. Besides, the morphological study of TPS and TPS-BChr had showed smoother surface, homogenous and good distribution with increasing of glycerol content. In water uptake analysis, increasing of glycerol tended to increase the affinity of water due to the hydroscopic properties. Though, addition of biochar RH had lowered the water uptake because biochar has aliphatic group that induced TPS-BChr more hydrophobic. From the results revealed that films with glycerol content at 10% has superior combination to blend with Tacca leontopetaloides starch and had demonstrated the good properties with addition of biochar as bio-filler