Supplementary Files
Keywords
cocoa pods cellulose
mechanical strength
heat resistance
biodegradability
How to Cite
Abstract
The idea of degradable plastic has been studied abundantly in the past few decades. The goal is to find a way to replace non-degradable plastic. Cellulose is a promising material for making degradable plastic. This study presents a simple method for preparing degradable plastic using pure cellulose from cocoa pods. Experiments were conducted to study the mechanical strength, heat resistance, water absorption, and biodegradability of cellulose degradable plastics. Cellulose-based degradable plastic exhibits tensile strength that is nearly equivalent to that of the pure polymer poly lactic acid (PLA). Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the degradable plastic reveals the presence of O-H (hydroxyl group), CH2 (alkane group), C=C (alkene group), and C-O (carboxylic acid group) bonds, indicative of a diverse molecular structure. Furthermore, the material exhibits significant thermal stability and thermal conductivity, suggesting its applicability in thermal-responsive applications. In the process of making bioplastics, the use of less PLA and more cellulose has been shown to make the material soak up water more quickly. These changes have made the material more waterproof. The degradable plastic decomposed quite well, breaking down completely within 68 days, indicating that cellulose from cocoa pods can be used to make degradable plastics.
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