Production of Bioplastic from Pineapple Waste

Starch-based bio-plastics are a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics. In this study, bio-plastic was prepared using starch as the binding agent and glycerol as the plasticizer, with cellulose as a reinforcing material. Cellulose was extracted from pineapple leaf fibre (PALF), an abundant agricultural waste, through fibre pre-treatment, bleaching, and acid hydrolysis. The pre-treatment of PALF was carried out to improve fibre-matrix adhesion and enhance the mechanical properties of the bio-plastic, particularly tensile and impact strength, as well as durability and water resistance. The bio-plastic was fabricated by heating a mixture of corn flour, vinegar, glycerol, and distilled water at 80-90 C for 60 minutes with continuous stirring, followed by casting and drying at 70-80 C for 6-8 hours to obtain a uniform film. The final bio-plastic sheets were conditioned at room temperature and evaluated through water solubility, soil degradation, water absorption, thickness measurement, and hardness tests to assess their physical properties and practical applicability.