Musthofa Lutfi, Ulfi Dias Nural Latifah, Retno Damayanti, Wenny Amaliah, Sella Antesty
The growing concern over non-degradable plastic waste has spurred the development of environmentally friendly alternatives. This study investigates the production of biodegradable plastic films from gadung tuber (Dioscorea hispida) starch reinforced with chitosan and nanosilver synthesized from shallot skin extract. The objective was to enhance the mechanical, physical, and biodegradability properties of starch-based bioplastics through natural polymer blending and green nanotechnology. A green synthesis method was used to produce nanosilver (AgNPs) with an average particle size of 49-51 nm, confirmed via UV-Vis spectroscopy and particle size analysis. Films were prepared through casting and drying, incorporating varying concentrations of chitosan (4, 6, and 8 g) and AgNPs (1, 3, 5, and 7 mL). Mechanical and physical evaluations revealed that the optimal formulation (6 g chitosan and 7 mL AgNPs) attained a tensile strength of 33.97 MPa, exceeding national and international standards. The 8 g chitosan and 3 mL AgNPs treatment yielded the highest elongation (123.68%) and lowest water absorption (18.15%), indicating excellent flexibility and moisture resistance. However, increasing AgNP content reduced biodegradability to 16.11%, reflecting a performance-environmental trade-off. This research demonstrates the promise of blending native starch with bio-waste-derived additives to produce high-performance biodegradable plastics, highlighting the importance of achieving a formulation balance to ensure environmental compatibility. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.
Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Food and Agroindustrial Technology, University of Mataram, Indonesia
