MAKING BIOPLASTIC

Regional Science Fair Contest Report

Members: Amy Gabriela Granillo María Fernanda López Keyla Michel Perdomo

Friday, January 30th, 2015

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AbstractHave you ever wondered how many damage does the petroleum based plastics have on the environment? Worldwide we produce about 100 million tons of petroleum plastic every year. In order to make these plastics, we use about 7 million barrels of oil per day. This project seeks for ways to create plastic using renewable materials due to the damage that petroleum has created in the environment. We seek to raise awareness to the plastic industries about the amount of pollution that conventional plastics generates, so they could take in consideration using forms of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources or in this case, corn starch bioplastic. We tested the bioplastic three times, making modifications to the procedure to find out the variables and different results of each trial. We found out that the third trial was the best type of bioplastic, so to have better results; we need to add more vinegar.

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IntroductionWe became interested in bioplastic because we read about petroleum and the dangerous wastes the normal plastic, made from it, produce. We wanted to create an ecological plastic to help reduce the amount of wastes the conventional plastics produce. Our research shows the compounds of plastic and its properties; it will help the reader have a clearer idea of the project. The question our purpose generates is “Can plastic industries replace the conventional plastics with biodegradable plastics?” you will find out if you keep reading…

PurposeOur purpose is to persuade plastic industries to replace petroleum-based plastics with corn starch plastics due to the great impact the conventional plastic has over the environment.

HypothesisWe believe we can create a low cost biodegradable plastic that has the same quality as petroleum base plastic.

ResearchBioplastics, also known as organic plastics or biodegradable polymers, are a form of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, like vegetable oil, or corn starch, rather than conventional plastics which all have one common flaw: they are

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all made from petroleum! Productions of such plastics tend to require more fossil fuels and produce more greenhouse gases than the production of bioplastics. Some, but not all bioplastics, are designed to biodegrade. Biodegradable plastics can break down in either anaerobic or aerobic environments, depending on how they are manufactured. Bioplastics can be composed of starches, cellulose, biopolymers, and a variety of other materials. If we search for more information about the compounds of plastic, we will find out that a polymer is the main building block of all plastics. Starch is made of two basic components: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is a very long and straight polymer. Amylopectin on other hand is a branched and short polymer meaning it will yield brittle and weak plastic…which is not good. By adding a small amount of vinegar to the plastic, we can break down some of the branches of the amylopectin. Secondly, we will be adding a plasticizer. The easiest to obtain, called glycerin, we can get it at a drug store or grocery store. Glycerin acts like a lubricant at the lubricant at the molecular level, so it doesn’t stick together. If you want very pliable plastic for a bag for instance, you would add more glycerin, and if you wanted stiff plastic then you would add less glycerin.

Materials ½ cup Corn Starch 1 tsp. Vinegar 4 tbsp. Water 1 tsp. Glycerin A Stove A Frying Pan Measuring CupsFor an extra, add 3 drops of colorants or washable paints.

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Procedure1. Measure 1/2 cup of corn starch, 4 tablespoons of water (60ml), 1

teaspoon of glycerin, 1 teaspoon of vinegar and add everything to the pan.

2. Turn the heat on to low and pour the mix, when the whole mix is at the pan already turn the heat to the medium and start stirring in a uniform way until the mixture turns from cloudy white to clear.

3. Watch how the starch makes a transformation from liquid to a sticky gel.

4. Now, let the mix at the pan until it is a little bit harder, so when you take it out it does not shatter.

5. When it is ready, with the spatula, move the plastic on to the cooling sheet.

6. Let it dry.

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Graph

34.6

32.8

18.5

13.7 0.4

Global Production Capacity of Bioplastic in 2011

AsiaSouth AmericaEuropeNorth AmericaAustralia

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Observations

Sample 1: With this sample nothing went right. We took all the materials and put them in a bowl. We add colorant and mix it. Everything was going perfect until we noticed the plastic was shattering. We tried to fix it, by adding water and compressing it, and we created a bunch of leftovers. It was too sticky, and it stuck on our fingers.

Sample 2: This sample was better. We added less glycerin and we didn’t add colorant. It was smoother and softer so we took cookie cutters and cut it in the shape of a star.

Sample 3: This sample was even better than sample 2. We added more vinegar to the mixture; the plastic’s center was harder than the ones of sample 1 and 2. Its surface has a jellylike texture and it resulted more flexible than sample 2.

Sample 4: With this sample we improvised a little. We decreased the amount of corn starch and increased the amount of vinegar, glycerin and water, we increased the stove’s heat to high; the result was a sticky sample in the middle and a hard, dry outer part.

DiscussionThe project’s results varied according to the trial. We tried to experiment a little bit more with the first trial, so we modified the process to see what happened, instead of leaving the bioplastic in its original color, we added some colorants, we thought it would be fun, but apparently the colorants had an effect on the plastic’s texture, it seemed to make the mixture drier and it shattered easily. With the second trial, we decided to leave its original

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color, we added less glycerin and it resulted very well, just like the ones we did at our school’s science fair. With the third trial, things got even better! We created a jellylike texture by adding more vinegar, by some reason its flexibility increased. With fourth trial, the things went kind of good…we increased the amounts of vinegar, water and glycerin; as a result we created a sticky, humid bioplastic.

ConclusionIt is possible to create a low cost, ecological, and biodegradable

plastic that has the same quality as petroleum plastic. The only

disadvantage of this bioplastic is that you have to wait some

days, depending on its texture, for it to dry completely.

ApplicationsPackaging

Problem

The development of sophisticated packaging has vastly

improved the shelf life of products whilst helping to define

brands’ relationships with their customers. However, with vast

amounts of packaging ending up in landfill, unsustainable

packaging is a highly visible environmental issue. 

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Solution

Bioplastics provide an ideal solution. Our plant-based polymers

compost at the end of their useful life. Our products can be

used for a wide range of packaging items, from primary and

secondary packaging films, laminates and rigid sheets for

thermoforming and vacuum forming, to point-of-sale displays,

trays and merchandisers.

Automotive

Problem

With transport representing one of the highest contributors to

global carbon emissions, automotive manufacturers are

addressing materials as part of the drive to design more

sustainable vehicles. In this industry, safety and performance

are paramount and cannot be compromised.

Solution

Bioplastics can be used in place of oil-derived equivalents for

the automotive industry. They can be injection molded with

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characteristics similar to ABS, without any modifications

required to existing machinery.

Cosmetics

Problem

The cosmetics industry creates over 120 billion units of

packaging a year. Much of this is short lived and often ends up

in landfill. Even the most basic daily personal care products,

such as toothbrushes and razors, pose a major environmental

challenge. However, consumers have come to expect high

standards and don’t want to compromise on quality in the drive

for a more sustainable solution.

Solution

Our plant-based bioplastics ensure that brands in the cosmetics and personal care sector are caring for both people and the environment. Our materials can be extrusion blow molded to form opaque, soft-feel bottles whilst accompanying bioplastic

caps can be injection molded.

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Bibliographyo En.european-bioplastics.orgo www.bioplastics.como www.biomebioplastics.como en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioplastico http://green-plastics.net/o http://bio-eco.biz/

Acknowledgements

Mrs. Thania Jones Rina Carillo de Perdomo Mrs. Linda García Aida Howard de López Mrs. Saby Castro Aida Caraccioli