Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 20 No 5 (2016): 1153 -
1158
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2016-2005-22
PLASTICIZING POLY(LACTIC ACID) USING
EPOXIDIZED PALM OIL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY PACKAGING MATERIAL
(Pemplastikan Poli(laktik asid) Menggunakan Minyak Kelapa Sawit Terepoksi untuk Bahan Pembungkus Mesra Alam)
Fathilah Binti Ali1*,
Raina Jama Awale1, Hanan Fakhruldin1, Hazleen Anuar2
1Department of Biotechnology Engineering,
Kulliyyah of Engineering
2Department of Manufacturing and
Materials Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering
International Islamic University of Malaysia,
53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*Corresponding author: fathilah@iium.edu.my
Received: 10
June 2015; Accepted: 21 July 2016
Abstract
Petrochemical
based polymers used in packaging materials are causing various environmental
problems. Therefore, biopolymers prepared from renewable sources have high
potential to substitute the commercially available non-degradable polymer.
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the biodegradable polymers that can be used
to substitute in the application of petrochemical-based polymers. Environmental
friendly and biodegradable epoxidized palm oil (EPO) was used as plasticizer in
this study and it was incorporated into PLA matrix through solution blending
method. The mechanical properties were determined through three-point flexural
test and tensile test. Tensile results revealed that the flexibility of PLA can
be improved by the addition of epoxidized palm oil (EPO) as plasticizer in the
polymer. PLA/EPO blend at ratio 100:10 showed significant flexibility among the
other PLA/EPO blends. The thermal properties of neat PLA and PLA/EPO blends were
characterized by using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The glass
transition temperature (Tg) decreased by addition of plasticizer, indicated the
chain mobility of PLA increased in the PLA/EPO blends system. The improved
flexibility of PLA by using EPO as plasticizer showed that it has high
potential to be used as environmental-friendly packaging material.
Keywords: biodegradable polymer, green polymer, poly(lactic
acid), environmental friendly packaging material
Abstrak
Barangan dari
sumber yang boleh
diperbaharui boleh mewujudkan
satu platform untuk menggantikan polimer
berasaskan petroleum yang
diketahui tidak mampu terbiodegradasi.
Poli(laktik asid) (PLA) adalah
antara polimer yang boleh
biodegradasi secara semula jadi
dan dipercayai boleh menjadi
pengganti bagi penggunaan
polimer petrokimia. Pemplastik yang
terbiodegradasi boleh digunakan untuk meningkatkan fleksibiliti PLA. PLA/EPO
telah dicampurkan dengan nisbah tertentu dan sifat mekanikal dan haba bahan
ini telah dikaji.
Sifat mekanik polimer/pemplastik ditentukan melalui
ujian lenturan mekanik
dan ujian tegangan.
Hasil kajian tegangan bahan menunjukkan bahawa fleksibiliti PLA boleh
dipertingkatkan dengan penambahan minyak kelapa sawat terepoksi (EPO) sebagai pemplastik
dalam polimer. Ia telah membuktikan bahawa kandungan 100:10 PLA/EPO adalah
nisbah yang paling sesuai untuk campuran PLA/EPO. Ciri – ciri haba diperolehi
dengan menggunakan Kalorimeter Pengimbasan Perbezaan (DSC). Pemplastik didapati
mengurangkan suhu peralihan kaca PLA. EPO didapati meningkatkan tekanan
tegangan dan pemanjangan di dalam PLA/EPO. Peningkatan fleksibiliti PLA
menerusi penggunaan EPO membuktikan bahawa PLA/EPO boleh digunakan untuk
pengunaan bungkusan mesra alam.
Kata
kunci:
polimer terbiodegradasikan, polimer hijau,
poli(laktik asid), bungkusan mesra alam
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