Effect of pre-processing methods on Spirulina platensis bioplastic

A sustainable solution for plastic pollution is biodegradable bioplastics. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that can transform directly into biodegradable plastic under compression molding. The bioplastic shows mechanical properties similar to commercial polymers such as polypropylene. This project proposes that A) ball milling will mechanically disrupt the cell wall of Spirulina, resulting in a more effective mixing of molecules required for bioplastic formation, and B) cold pre-pressing of spirulina biomass can improve the densification of the final bioplastic and enhance its mechanical properties depending on the subsequent processing conditions. Preliminary results indicate improvements in the prepared samples' flexural strength and modulus.