Influence of Glycerol Contents on The Morphological (SEM) and Functional (FTIR) Properties of Corn-based Bioplastic

Plastic that made form starch has gain a lot of attraction in research to replace traditional plastic. Starch offers a great deal which is hard to resist such as renewable resource, inexpensive and eco-friendly raw material. However, due to unfavorable properties such as brittleness, poor mechanical properties, and lack water barrier, starch-based bioplastic have a limited range of applications. To produce better corn-based bioplastic properties, concentration of glycerol needs to be optimized. This work focuses on the effect of different concentration of glycerol (20%, 30%, 40% w/v of corn starch) on the morphological (SEM) and functional (FTIR) properties of corn-based bioplastic film prepared by solvent casting method were investigated. Interactions between corn starch and glycerol occur between C-O and OH groups, indicating the presence of mainly hydrogen bonds. Morphology properties for all film sample presented a smooth surface without pores and cracks with compact structures. This work shows that glycerol can affect the morphological and functional properties of corn-based bioplastics.