Pembuatan Nanoserat Selulosa Tandan Kosong Kelapa Sawit sebagai Bahan Bioplastik dengan Plasticizer Sorbitol

Abstract

Research has been conducted to develop bioplastics made from cellulose nanofibers derived from Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) of oil palm, with the addition of sorbitol as a plasticizer and chitosan as the polymer matrix. This study was carried out to determine whether cellulose nanofibers from EFB can be formulated into biodegradable plastics and to evaluate their physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics. The bioplastic was produced using the solvent-casting method by varying sorbitol concentrations of 60%, 80%, and 100% relative to a total of 5 grams of cellulose and chitosan. The characterization performed included thickness, density, water absorption, tensile strength, elongation at break, biodegradation, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis. The results showed that cellulose nanofibers from EFB with a particle size of 35.81 nm were successfully used as the bioplastic raw material. The addition of sorbitol had a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the bioplastic; increasing sorbitol concentration and nanofiber content tended to enhance the tensile strength, from 1.36 MPa at 60% sorbitol to 4.41 MPa at 80% sorbitol with the highest nanofiber loading of 70%. The water absorption resistance reached 49.00%, and the biodegradation capability was up to 75.28% within 15 days. FT-IR analysis of EFB cellulose indicated the presence of O–H, C–H, –CH₂, and C–O–C functional groups, which are characteristic of cellulose. Meanwhile, FT-IR analysis of the bioplastic revealed O–H, C–H, –CH₂, N–H, and C–O–C groups, corresponding to cellulose, chitosan, and sorbitol. SEM observations showed a smooth and homogeneous morphological structure, although some white agglomerates were still visible, indicating partial aggregation.