The Effectivity of Gelatin in Improving the Physical Properties of Milk-based Bioplastic
M. Bautista, P. Jambalos, J. Juan, C. Villanueva, J. Viray
Quantitative Research, 2020
Abstract
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest adversaries the planet is yet to combat. Non-biodegradable plastics are used for only a short period of time but take several to even a hundred years to decompose. Therefore, bioplastics are considered to be an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics. With this, the researchers decided to create a bioplastic with the casein of non-fat milk as its base and gelatin to act as an agent that may improve the bioplastic’s elasticity, biodegradability, tensile strength, and plasticity. However, the effectiveness, efficiency, and other characteristics of the created products will not be tested and discussed further because of the time restraints.
The group’s controlled setup will be the milk-based bioplastic and the experimental setups are those milk-based bioplastics with added gelatin. This will be tested for its elasticity, plasticity, and tensile strength by using weights with an interval of 25 grams that are hung on the bioplastic until it stretches and breaks. For each weight interval, its length will be measured. For biodegradability, its weight was measured before and after it was buried in a 5cm depth in the soil and its weight was also measured every day for 7 days. The group performed comparative statistical analysis and t-tests to analyze the data.
By the end of the research, the group concluded that the gelatin affected the tensile strength, elasticity, and biodegradability of the bioplastic differently. The tensile strength of the bioplastic increases with the amount of gelatin to be used. While the elasticity of the bioplastic is optimal at 15-20 grams of gelatin.
The statistical test used to further analyze the measurements obtained in the property of biodegradability is the T-test. Using the variables of the initial weight and the weight lost after seven days, the t-value computed was 0.01.
The remaining setups will be created by gradually increasing the amount of gelatin by 5 grams per setup until the desired output is achieved. The main components of the bioplastic are milk, vinegar, and gelatin. Other materials for the procedure, including a strainer, cloth, and heating equipment, will be used. Vinegar will be used to separate the casein from the milk. The casein will be mixed with vinegar and gelatin in a pan on low heat. After spreading the mixture on a foil, it was left for at least 3 days to dry.
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