Avaliação das propriedades mecânicas e superficiais de bioplásticos à base de amido e reforçados com bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e sisal

Abstract

This work aims to study the production of bioplastic from sugarcane bagasse and sisal fibers. These raw materials are abundant in Brazil, and in Paraíba alone, millions of tons of bagasse are produced per harvest. Due to the environmental problems that conventional plastics pose to the environment, this work will attempt to improve the production method of a bioplastic using sugarcane bagasse and sisal fibers using a methodology previously chosen for the experiments. This methodology addresses the importance of alkaline treatment of the fibers to improve their performance—that is, a bioplastic with properties similar to those of petrochemical-based plastics. A bioplastic must have the advantage of being biodegradable, unlike conventional plastics, as well as good mechanical properties, for example. In addition to the alkaline treatment, potato starch was used as the agent to form the bioplastic film, as it is a starch-rich reagent and a glucose supplier for the reaction. The developed films were analyzed using tensile and profilometry tests, demonstrating their strength and roughness. Furthermore, their visual properties, such as color and fiber arrangement, were evaluated. The tensile strength and roughness results were compared with the literature and showed promising results, especially for sisal fibers.