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The Effect of the Addition of Maguey Bagasse in the Production of Bioplastics Based on Corn and Potato Starch
Summary
Researchers evaluated agave bagasse fiber as a reinforcing agent in corn- and potato-starch bioplastics, preparing five formulations each with increasing bagasse content (0-70 g) and assessing them via TGA and SEM. They found that higher bagasse content significantly improved mechanical stiffness and thermal stability, with corn-based composites outperforming potato-based ones, suggesting agave bagasse as a promising low-impact additive for biodegradable plastics.
Synthetic plastic impacts the environment due to its slow degradation and the generation of microplastics, driving the development of bioplastics. This study evaluated the use of bagasse fiber combined with corn and potato starch to improve the physical and mechanical properties of bioplastics. Five bioplastic mixtures (Am1 to Am5) were prepared with corn starch, glycerin, acetic acid, maleic anhydride, and agave bagasse. Am1 was prepared without bagasse, and the others were prepared with different amounts of bagasse (0, 10, 30, 50, and 70 g). Bioplastics made from potato starch (Ap1 to Ap5) were also produced under the same conditions and were assessed using the thermogravimetric (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests. Analysis of variance showed significant differences (p < 0.001) in the moisture, Young’s modulus, and stress of the bioplastics. The corn-based bioplastics exhibited lower moisture values (7.26% and 5.51%) compared to the potato-based ones (9.68% to 8.89%). Young’s modulus and stress increased in the corn-based (Am5 = 4.59 MPa) and potato-based (Ap5 = 3.53 MPa) bioplastics with higher amounts of bagasse. Furthermore, TGA and SEM revealed the surface morphology and the effects of processing, and based on their results, it was found that agave bagasse improved the mechanical and thermal properties of bioplastics, especially corn-based ones, suggesting its potential as a material with a lower environmental impact.