The Effect of Types and Concentrations of Plasticizing Materials on Glucomannan Bioplastic

Abstract

This research aims to determine the effect of plasticizer types and concentrations on the characteristics of  glucomannan bioplastics, and to determine the types and concentrations of plasticizers that can produce  glucomannan bioplastics with the best characteristics. This experimental design used a completely randomized  design method. Factor I is a type of plasticizer consisting of glycerol, sorbitol, propanol-2, and polyethylene  glycol. The second factor is the concentration of plasticizers which consists of 4 levels, namely 0.5%: 1.5%:  2.5%: 3.5%. The experiment resulted in 16 treatment combinations and grouped into 2 groups to obtain 32  experimental units. The data were analyzed for their diversity and continued with the Duncan multiple  comparison test. The results showed that the type and concentration of plasticizers had a very significant effect  on tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus young, and swelling. The interaction has a very significant  effect on tensile strength and expansion and has a significant effect on the elasticity of glucomannan  bioplastics. Meanwhile, the type and concentration of plasticizers had no significant effect on the length of  biodegradation. The best glucomannan bioplastic was obtained in the treatment of glycerol plasticizers with  a concentration of 1.5 % with a tensile strength value of 6.17 MPa, elongation at break of 21.50 %, elasticity  28.72 MPa development 25.84 %, and degradation time of 8 days. Bioplastics produced in this study have  meet the SNI 7188.7:2016 standards in the elongation test at break and standards ASTM 5336 in the  degradation time variables. The resulting bioplastic has not met SNI on the tensile strength, modulus young,  and swelling variables.