DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v28i5.190

Keywords: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), biopolymer composites

Abstract

Currently, the development of bioplastics is an effort to overcome environmental problems caused using conventional plastics which are difficult to decompose. In this research, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based bioplastics were synthesized with the addition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) from coconut fibers with variations in the weight percent of CMC using glycerol as a plasticizer and citric acid as a cross linking agent using the solution casting method. The results of functional group analysis using FTIR show that CMC was successfully synthesized with the presence of characteristic wave groups of 1593 cm^-1 (Stretching C=O) and 1412 cm^-1 (bending -CH₂). In addition, functional group analysis samples on bioplastic films show that there is a wave number of 1731 cm^-1 (Stretching -C=O) in typical citric acid and 1543 cm^-1 (Stretching -C=O) of carboxyl groups, which do not appear in PVA. Increasing variations in CMC, glycerol and citric acid in the PC7GA sample resulted in the highest air resistance value (59.9%). However, on the contrary, there was a decrease in the value of the mechanical properties (5.02 MPa). The best sample variation in the biodegradation test was PC1G with a weight loss value of 50.47%. In the shelf-life test, the best sample variation was obtained, namely PC3GA with a chili weight loss value of 27%. Based on research results, adding additives to PVA-based bioplastic films can increase air resistance, biodegradation and shelf life without significant improvement in mechanical properties.