Enhancement of the mechanical and physical properties of thermoplastic cassava starch reinforced by banana pseudostem fiber / Nadhirah Aishah Kamaruzaman

In this study, composite films were prepared by using cassava starch and banana pseudostem fiber as a reinforcing filler. The composite films were produced using a casting technique, with varying fiber loadings of banana pseudostem fiber (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%) and glycerol as a plasticizer. The amount of glycerol used was fixed at 25% of the dry weight of starch. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of untreated and treated banana pseudostem fiber loading on the mechanical and physical properties of thermoplastic cassava starch. The findings indicated that the incorporation of banana pseudostem fiber, in general, enhanced the performance of the composite films. In addition, the TPCS/UBPF and TPCS/TBPF films exhibited a significant decrease in both density and moisture content. Composites that were reinforced by treated fiber exhibited higher mechanical strengths in comparison to the untreated fibers. The morphological images exhibited a favorable compatibility between the treated fiber (reinforcing agent) and matrix, resulting in enhanced tensile strength and Young's modulus. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the removal of hemicellulose at certain wavelengths in the alkali-treated composites. In summary, the application of an alkaline treatment to BPF enhances the performance of the composites reinforced with banana pseudostem fiber.