INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Plastics are commonly used materials that can be seen everywhere. We can find plastics
in home decorations at malls, cups, plates and utensils in parties, appliances and furnitures at home and
plastic bags that we use in carrying our items in the grocery store. Not only that, there is still more ways
in using plastics. But if these are not disregarded properly, it can cause pollution and affect every living
thing on earth.

Bioplastics are plastics that can be made out of common household products. These are to the
environment in that they contain no petroleum unlike usual plastics such as Tupperware etc. also
instead of taking about 100 years to fully decompose it only takes about 7. This is why we came up this
project, to prove that plastics can also be made by using a natural based, such as potato starch, and by
using this as the base we can make plastics that are biodegradable, to make a product that would be
safe for the environment. Potato plastic is a biodegradable material, made of potato starch. This means
that it will decompose to nutrients for the soil in only two months when it ends up in the nature.The
importance and the need of the bio-plastics are gradually increasing for the reason it holds many
advantages that can reduce and prevent pollution. However, the bio-plastics have its limitation since the
fragility and brittleness exhibits during the thermoformation that hinders their potential for application.
So in order to overcome this problem, plasticizers are added to provide the necessary workability to
biopolymers. (Adeodato Vieira, Santos, Silva, & Beppu, 2011) Glycerin, is the type of plasticizer to be use
in order to alter the characteristic of the material. With the application of heat and mechanical
treatment, starch behaves like a thermoplastic when it is in the presence of a Plasticizer. Because it has
the ability to decrease tensile strength and elongation and can disrupts the starch chains causing
reduction in rigidity and increase chain mobility. Glycerol is a hydrophilic low molecular carbohydrate,
which it has the tendency to absorb water depending on the number of hydroxyl group present and
molecular weight of its structure. (Mehta, Darshan, & Nishith, 2014) Its role is to add flexibility to the
mixture.

In this study, the researchers would like to a biodegradable plastic that is made from a starch –based
material (which is the potato starch) that can contribute the concerns on environmental problems,
climate changes, pollution and green house gases. It is also benefits the potato starch biodegradable
plastic users for they can have a healthy and clean environment.

General Objective

To know the effectiveness of potato starch as a component in the bio-plastic.

Specific Objectives

1. To create an affordable and eco-friendly plastic

2. To help lessen the environmental problems.

3. To use potato starch which is beneficial in an effective and cheap way.

Statement of the Problem

1. What are the components of potato starch as main component in bio-plastic?

2. What is/are the exact amount of potato starch, water, vinegar, glycerin and vegetable oil?

3. What is the effectivity of potato starch as a main component in the bio-plastic in terms of:

1) Heat Capacity

2) Tensile strength

3) Water Absorbency

Hypothesis

1. If glycerin is used as a component in the bio-plastic, then the bio-plastic will be more flexible.

2. If potato starch is an effective component in the bio-plastic, then the bio-plastic will degrade
faster than the commercial plastic.

3. If non-toxic component/s are used in the bio-plastic, then the bio-plastic will be more eco-
friendly

Significance of the Study

This study is significant for its ability to degrade faster than the commercial plastic. The
ingredients/materials used in the study are cheap/affordable and easy to find. The contents of this
study’s product are non-toxic and is environmental friendly.

Scope and Limitations

This study aims to create a plastic that is biodegradable and can degrade faster than the
commercial plastic. The outcome of the study is just a sample in order to test the possibility of making
the desire product. So, it is not intended to create a plastic material such as utensils, cups, bottles and
the like. This study is limited to the use of potato starch , the required amount of the following: glycerin,
water, vinegar, vegetable oil, the specific number of days and hours in observing the heat capacity,
tensile strength, water absorbency and the degradation time of the product. This study is limited since
the product can only be used once and is not suitable for handling liquid.

Definition of Terms

Cornstarch- backbone of the plastic. The main ingredient for a biodegradable plastic.
Food Coloring- miscellaneous. Adds color to the bio-plastic.

Glycerin- adds flexibility to the bio-plastic.

Vegetable Oil- baking needs

Vinegar- breaks the starch chain.

Water- mixes up all the ingredients.

METHODOLOGY

Gathering of Materials

The researcher
gathered the following materials: potato starch, water, vinegar, glycerin, vegetable oil, food coloring,
stove, pan, microwave oven, spatula, measuring scoop, dropper, a container that can be placed on the
microwave oven and the commercial plastic.

Adding and Mixing the Mixture

As the materials
were gathered, the researcher added 30 g. of potato starch, 60 ml of water, 5 ml of vinegar, 5 ml of
glycerin, 5 ml of vegetable oil, and 3 drops of food coloring on a pan which is placed on top of the stove.
After the mixture heated, stir the mixture continuously until it formed a paste-like substance for
approximately 8-10 minutes. Then wait for the mixture to cool down.

Solidifying the Mixture

Using a bit of oil, the

researcher greased the container to be used so that the mixture will not stick into the greased
container. Scoop half of the mixture and spread the mixture thinly into the greased container. After
spreading the mixture, the greased container with the mixture in it was placed into the microwave oven.
The microwave oven was set to low temperature settings and was heated for 20 minutes.

Reshaping the Product

Remove the heated

mixture from the microwave oven. With the use of a knife, the product has been cut in to a 2x2 (inches)
size.

Testing the Product

Heat Capacity

Before proceeding
to the other tests of the product, getting the heat capacity should be conducted first. After heating the
mixture from the pan using the stove and forms a paste like-substance, the mixture has been placed on
the microwave oven which was set with different temperatures and time.

Tensile Strength
 To measure the
tensile strength of the product, the metal clips are used by clipping the 2 upper parts of the product
onto a clothesline (or anything that can be a possible alternative of the object). The lower part of the
product has been clipped by multiple metal clips.

Water Absorbency

As for the water

absorbency, the product has been placed on a plastic cup which is filled by a 75ml of water (the amount
of water should cover the whole product). The product was observed for 24 hours .

Degradation Test

For the degradation

test the product has been placed on a container that doesn’t cover the whole product. The researcher
has replicated the product by 5 in order to add weight in it. The product was weighed by its initial
weight, final weight and the weight of the product in each day for 3 days. The researcher recorded the
data gathered.