Manufacture and Characterization of Biofoam Based On Composite of Taro Leaves Powder Reinforced Polyvinyl Acetate

Abstract

Biofoam material has been made for application of styrofoam substitute food packaging material from a mixture of raw materials: taro leaf powder and PVAc through a hot compaction method with variations of the composition of taro leaf powder: PVAc (80:20)% wt, (75:25)% wt, (70 : 30)% wt, (65:35) wt%, (60:40) wt%, (55:45)% wt, (50:50)% wt and (45:50)% wt. The first stage of taro leaves was blended and sifted with 100 mesh particle size. The second stage of the leaf powder of taro mixed with wet mixing was then mixed with PVAc as a matrix. The third stage of the homogeneous mixture was then put into the mold then compressed by heat to make it more dense with a pressure of 100 MPa and held for 10 minutes at 60 oC. Each biofoam sample that is ready to be characterized includes: physical properties (density, water absorption, functional groups and biodegredability), mechanical properties (tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation) and thermal properties (melting points). The characterization results showed that taro leaf powder: the optimum PVAc was (45: 55) wt% with a density value of 0.744 x 103 kg/m3, water absorption capacity of 1.765%, composed of OH and CH groups of PVAc and cellulose and C = C groups of lignin so that it has degrading properties of 91.2% for 50 days. Mechanical properties with tensile strength of 0.357 MPa, elastic modulus of 1.449 MPa, and elongation of 246.416%. Thermal properties with a melting point of 350.21 oC whose results have met the standards of conventional brand Synbra Technology. The results of biofoam material based on composite taro leaves and PVAc can be applied as food packaging.