Physical and Mechanical Properties of Biodegradable Plastic Produced From Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllu) Seed and Sago Starch Blend

Objective: Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a tropical fruit that has high amylose content in its seeds similar to sago starch. Thus, jackfruit seeds and sago are suitable raw materials for the production of biodegradable plastic (BGP). The objective of this research is to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of BGP produced from the blend of jackfruit seed and sago starch. Methods: The BGP was prepared by mixing different ratios of the jackfruit seed flour to the sago flour in distilled water with the addition of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). The mixture was stirred and heated at 80oC and later mixed with glycerol. The mixture was neutralized with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and was cast by using the casting plate technique. Results: The results showed that the optimum tensile strength was obtained at 2.06 MPa. at the blend ratio of 7:3. The maximum absorption rate of water ranged from 32 % to 34 % occurred at the blend ratio of 1:9 while the lowest absorption rate ranged from 21% to 26% occurred at the blend ratio of 5:5. The degradability of BGP was indicated by decreasing the FT-IR spectra peaks intensity and broadening of the bandwidth due to the degradation of starch in the BGP. Conclusion: The blend ratio of 10:0 showed the highest degradability rate. Conclusively, that the physical and mechanical properties are affected by the blend ratios.