| dc.description.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. | en_US |
