Sintesis Bioplastik Berbasis Ampas Kelapa dengan Penambahan Sorbitol dan Kitosan

Abstract

Bioplastik merupakan plastik biopolimer yang mudah terurai oleh mikroorganisme sehingga dapat menjadi alternatif pengganti plastik komersial. Salah satu polimer alam yang banyak digunakan sebagai bahan bioplastik adalah polisakarida. Ampas kelapa berpotensi sebagai bahan baku pembuatan bioplastik dengan penambahan kitosan dan sorbitol sebagai plasticizer. Penelitian bertujuan untuk membuat bioplastik sebagai pengemas makanan berbasis ampas kelapa dengan metode solution casting, serta melihat pengaruh variasi kitosan dan sorbitol terhadap karakteristik bioplastik. Karakterisasi meliputi uji ketebalan, uji mekanik, uji water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), uji biodegradabilitas, uji masa simpan produk, dan analisa scanning electron microscope (SEM). Penambahan kitosan dan sorbitol berpengaruh pada ketebalan film bioplastik. Nilai tensile strength 3 MPa - 18,16 MPa. Nilai elongation 0,52%-24,10%. Nilai WVTR 2,13 g/m2.jam - 2,87 g/m2.jam. Waktu bioplastik terdegradasi sempurna yaitu 3-6 hari. Morfologi permukaan film bioplastik terdapat spot spot putih, berpori dan kurang homogen.

Bioplastics is a biopolymer plastic that is easily decomposed by microorganisms so that it can be an alternative to commercial plastics. Polysaccharides are one of the natural polymers that are widely used as bioplastic materials. Coconut pulp has the potential as raw material for making bioplastics with the addition of chitosan and sorbitol as plasticizers. The research aims to make bioplastics as food packaging based on coconut pulp with the solution casting method and to see the effect of variations of chitosan and sorbitol on the characteristics of bioplastics. Characteristic includes the thickness, mechanical property test, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), biodegradability, product shelf life test, and surface morphology analysis with SEM. The addition of chitosan and sorbitol affects the thickness of the bioplastic film. The tensile strength value is 3 MPa-18,16 MPa. The elongation value is 0,52%-24,10%. The WVTR Value is 2,13 g/m2.hour - 2,87 g/m2.hour. The entire degradability time for films is 3-6 days. The surface morphology of the bioplastic film has white spots, is porous, and is less homogeneous.