Toward a Circular Bioeconomy: Development of Pineapple Stem Starch Composite as a Plastic-Sheet Substitute for Single-Use Applications

Plastic waste poses a significant challenge for the environment, particularly smaller plastic products that are often difficult to recycle or collect. In this study, we developed a fully biodegradable composite material from pineapple field waste that is suitable for small-sized plastic products tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymers 2023-05, Vol.15 (10), p.2388
Main Authors: Thongphang, Chanaporn, Namphonsane, Atitiya, Thanawan, Sombat, Chia, Chin Hua, Wongsagonsup, Rungtiwa, Smith, Siwaporn Meejoo, Amornsakchai, Taweechai
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biodegradable materials
Bread
Calcium carbonate
Composite materials
Disintegration
Elongation
Environmental impact
Food
Food supply
Glycerin
Glycerol
Mechanical properties
Moldability
Pineapples
Plastics
Polylactic acid
Polymers
Recycling (Waste, etc.)
Spectrum analysis
Thailand
Water absorption
Water resistance
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Summary:Plastic waste poses a significant challenge for the environment, particularly smaller plastic products that are often difficult to recycle or collect. In this study, we developed a fully biodegradable composite material from pineapple field waste that is suitable for small-sized plastic products that are difficult to recycle, such as bread clips. We utilized starch from waste pineapple stems, which is high in amylose content, as the matrix, and added glycerol and calcium carbonate as the plasticizer and filler, respectively, to improve the material's moldability and hardness. We varied the amounts of glycerol (20-50% by weight) and calcium carbonate (0-30 wt.%) to produce composite samples with a wide range of mechanical properties. The tensile moduli were in the range of 45-1100 MPa, with tensile strengths of 2-17 MPa and an elongation at break of 10-50%. The resulting materials exhibited good water resistance and had lower water absorption (~30-60%) than other types of starch-based materials. Soil burial tests showed that the material completely disintegrated into particles smaller than 1 mm within 14 days. We also created a bread clip prototype to test the material's ability to hold a filled bag tightly. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of using pineapple stem starch as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based and biobased synthetic materials in small-sized plastic products while promoting a circular bioeconomy.
ISSN:2073-4360
2073-4360
DOI:10.3390/polym15102388