Study on the Preparation of Biodegradable Plastic from Rice Straw and Chitosan

Abstract

Bioplastics made from natural fibers to replace synthetic polymers have been receiving increased attention due to their biodegradability. In this study, bioplastics were prepared using cellulose fiber from rice straw and chitosan as the polymeric matrices. The parameters included different ratios of digested rice straw fiber (DRF) and bleached rice straw fiber (BRF), which were varied at ratios of 2.0:0.0, 1.5:0.5, 0.5:1.5, and 0.0:0.2. The composition of 50% fiber was added with 25% chitosan and 25% glycerol based on total solid via wet mixing and pouring on plate molding and drying to produce bioplastic. The synthesized bioplastics were characterized using tensile test, X - ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that increasing DRF enhanced the tensile strength of the film from 3.4 to 5.9 MPa and decreased elongation at break from 9.0 to 6.0 percent. The XRD testing results reflected good bonding between rice straw fibers and chitosan matrices. The TGA results showed that it can resist heat up to 160 °C, and from the results of SEM, the plastics have a rough surface. Moreover, the bioplastics reached 58.83% degradation within 60 days of the test. Bioplastics made from rice straw have a high potential for environmentally friendly alternatives to replace petroleum-based synthetic plastics.