Preparation and characterization of Seaweed based Bioplastic Blended with Polysaccharides derived from various seeds of Avocado, Jackfruit and Durian

Abstract

Anticipating the global trends of biodegradable plastic and its application to packaging industries, this study was conducted to prepare a seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii) based biodegradable plastic blended with polysaccharides derived from various tropical fruit seeds which are abundantly available in Indonesia such as avocado, jack fruits and durian. The objective is to prepare an environmentally friendly and edible bioplastic. The various polysaccharides were obtained through extraction and the bioplastic blends were heated at 80°C for 30 minutes. The characterization conducted include mechanical properties, thermal and biodegradability analysis, spectral and surface analysis through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) respectively.