Pembuatan Bioplastik dari Kombinasi Kolang-kaling, Tapioka, dan CMC

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the potential of kolang-kaling (sugar palm fruit [Arenga pinnata]) as a raw material for bioplastic production and to examine the effect of varying concentrations of Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) and tapioca starch on the characteristics of the resulting product. The independent variables in this study included the ratio of tapioca suspension used (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) and the ratio of added CMC (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5%), while the dependent variable was the characteristics of the bioplastic produced. The study was conducted under fixed process conditions, namely a temperature of 70°C, pressure of 1 atm, and processing time of 25 minutes. The results showed that kolang-kaling could be synthesized into bioplastic, and the addition of CMC and tapioca significantly increased the film thickness. Increasing the CMC concentration led to higher water absorption capacity, whereas the addition of tapioca tended to reduce water absorption in the bioplastic. The formulation containing 0.4% CMC and 5% tapioca produced the most optimal results based on the biodegradation test conducted over five days.