Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, and physical characteristics of biodegradable plastics of banana peel (Musa Paradisiaca) mixed tapioca starch

Bioplastics have become a subject of interest for numerous purposes, such as food packaging and biomedical applications. Synthetic plastic takes around 100 years to degrade due to its hydrophobic nature. The objective of this study was to identify the physical properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS)/ banana peel (BP) at eight different concentrations of banana peel (BP), namely 5 wt.%, 10 wt.%, 15 wt.%, 20 wt.%, 25 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 35 wt.% and 40 wt.%. BPs were cleaned, oven-dried at 70 ℃, and ground into a particle size of 0.23 ± 0.02 mm. BP extract was obtained through the maceration process to develop eight different concentrations of TPS/BP. The bioplastic characteristics regarding physical properties were presented using FTIR analysis, SEM analysis, density, and porosity tests. The resulting FTIR spectra revealed a similar pattern. However, the peak at 2853.5 revealed the presence of BP extracts with a slightly sharper spectrum. The 40 wt.% TPS/BP indicated uneven surface and the presence of predominant elements of Mg, Na, Ca, and Fe, with values of 1.04%, 7.82%, 14.10%, and 7.52%, respectively. The 0 wt. % TPS/BP showed the highest degradation rate of 1.89 g and density of 1.32 But the lowest porosity of 0.09%. The TPS/BP biodegradable plastic has provided significant good physical properties to replace other synthetic polymers.