Date of Completion

2025

Document Type

Research Project

Degree Name

Grade 12

Keywords

Bioplastic, Banana, Cassava Starch

Abstract

Plastics have been one of the major contributors to the growing dangers of pollution. To eliminate the use of plastics, the researchers chose to develop bioplastics made from the inner layer of banana pseudostems and cassava starch. The materials were chosen since there are no published studies on this kind of bioplastic, closing the gap in this field of bioplastics. The researchers used an experimental design to investigate the effects of banana pseudostem on bioplastics. Three concentrations were made namely, 30%, 40%, and 50% banana pseudostem, to investigate the differences of increasing the concentration. The bioplastic’s tensile properties were measured. The first and third tensile properties, tensile strength, and tensile stress, after using a one-way ANOVA treatment, showed no significant difference among all three concentrations with an interpretation that increasing the concentration does not increase the mean value. On the contrary, elongation at break showed significant differences among the concentrations. A post hoc analysis was used to further investigate the differences among the concentrations. Results showed that 30% is significantly different from 40% and 50%. However, 40% and 50% are not significantly different from one another. It was implied that after reaching the peak concentration, increasing the concentration does not also increase the elasticity of the bioplastic. The study therefore concludes that a lower concentration is more effective in creating a durable bioplastic. It is further recommended to have control groups, test other bioplastic properties such as shelf life, use other starches or plasticizers and explore deeper into the banana pseudostems composition.

First Advisor

Ramgie M. Bartolata, LPT

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