Synthesis and characterization of bioplastic of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpurem) cellulose with different type of plasticizers

Napier grasses have the potential to become the feedstock to produce the bioplastics. Plastics are from petrol based oil which is one of the non-renewable resources that is expensive and produce environmental pollution. To produce quality bioplastic from the Napier grass, the suitable amount of the cellulose that extracted from the Napier grass must involve with suitable plasticisers such as starch and gelatin. The starch and blended bioplastic makes the bioplastic stronger and flexible. To make bioplastic from Napier grass, the cellulose from the Napier grass was extracted. The extraction of the cellulose from the Napier grass can be done by the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution. The dark solution after the dissolution indicates the lignin of Napier grass while the extracted green colour of the residue is the cellulose of the Napier grass. The extracted cellulose of Napier grass will present in every samples of bioplastics with different amount of composition and mix with plasticizers. The bioplastics of Napier grass were analysed for Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy. FTIR spectra exhibited that the intermolecular interaction in bioplastics occurred through C-O-H, O-H, C-H aliphatic and C=O groups. The tensile test was done to both type of bioplastic made from starch and gelatin which shows the properties of elongation at break, stress at break and peak. Bioplastic made from gelatin has the strong elongation at break property than the starch made bioplastics. The bioplastic made from starch can biodegrade faster than the gelatin made bioplastic. The finding of this study will be beneficial to the environment by reducing the pollution where the properties of the Napier grasses promote the bioplastic quality to withstand with the commercial plastics with the correct proportions of the starch and gelatin which are toxic free to the environment.