Water Absorption Reduction of Biodegradable Plastic Made From Sugar Cane Molasses by the Synergistic Effect of Sisal Fiber Reinforcement and Succinic Acid Crosslinking

Abstract

Abstract In our daily lives, plastic has always played a significant role. Sugarcane molasses is a by-product of sugar production, and a potential raw material to develop biodegradable plastic which neither causes deforestation nor affects food supply. To address this issue, molasses-based plastic was cross-linked with a succinic acid cross-linker chemical, and locally available sisal fiber was used as reinforcement to improve the plastic's properties and reduce water absorption. The sisal fiber was manually extracted with a sharp knife and alkaline treated with an 8% NaOH solution before being utilized as a reinforcement. Additionally, acid hydrolysis methods were used to pre-treat crude raw cane molasses. After treating the molasses, the lactic acid was recovered and purified by adding cultured yogurt lactic acid to the treated molasses, and then the lactic acid was converted to PLA utilizing direct solution polymerization and condensation techniques in this experiential work. Using the solvent casting process, four (4) bioplastic film samples were made after each extraction and treatment of raw materials. Using a digital microbalance to establish the initial weight of a dry sample and immersing the film sections in distilled water, the swelling experiment was carried out to identify the best