Production of Thermoplastic Starch from Metroxylon sagu Rottb.

(Sago) Starch

A Science Investigatory Project

An Official Entry to the
2009 DepEd Intel Science Fair
Division Level

Jem Cyrille J. Muca

Vivien Mae L. Gorre
Ellen Jane E. Arro
 Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Utmost credit is given to Mr. Jim Boy Pasia, Research teacher, for extending his time and

talent in spite of the abrasive demands of his administrative and academic duties in this school.

This work would have been impossible had you not shared your expertise and wisdom in the field

of this Research. A warm hug of thanks is given to Prof. Dulce M. Flores, PhD of University of

the Philippines Mindanao College of Science and Mathematics for extending her time just to

cater to our needs even if we’re not her students amidst the hustle and bustle of her research,

administrative, and academic jobs. To Kuya Miguel of Department of Food Science and

Chemistry, for offering his abilities just so we can speed up the development of our research

projects. Big thanks is deserved by our classmates for their constant supply inspiration,

encouraging us to always work for the best but always having time to have fun. Deepest gratitude

is likewise offered to Mr. Felix Robert Valenzuela for tweaking his schedules just so they can

offer guidance to us regarding our research. To Ms. Maila Basio, for letting us borrow her spring

balance. To our family, especially our Father and Mother, our sisters and brothers—no words can

suffice for our gratitude to you for all your selfless sacrifices and all the blessings in every

circumstance. Finally, to our Almighty Father, who has bestowed upon us the strength to

persevere in life amidst its harsh realities and difficulties in life, and for helping us to make our

high school academic life productive and meaningful. This output would have been impossible

without all your pooled efforts and contributions. You all certainly deserve the better things in

life. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat!

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Objectives of the Study 2
1.3 Hypothesis 3
1.4 Conceptual Framework 3
1.5 Scope and Limitation 3
1.6 Significance of the Study 4
1.7 Definition of Terms 4
1.8 Literature Review 5
1.8.1 Biodegradable Plastics 5
1.8.2 Starch-based Polymers 7
1.8.3 Thermoplastic Starch Materials 8
1.8.4 Starch 13
1.8.5 Sago Starch 15
1.8.6 Extrusion 17
1.8.7 Extrusion of Starch 17
1.8.8 Plasticizers 20
1.8.9 Plasticizer in Thermoplastic Starch Materials 21
1.8.10 Related Studies involving Sago Starch 22
METHODOLOGY
2.1 Preparation of Materials 24
2.2 Preparation of Thermoplastic Sago Starch 24
2. 3 Testing of Tensile Strength 25
2.4 Biodegradability Test 26
2.5 Resistance to Water Disintegration 27
2.6 Statistical Analysis 27
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 29
3.1 The Extrudate 29
3.2 Physical properties of the TPS extrudates 31
3.3 Biodegradation of TPS 33
3.4 Resistance to Water Disintegration 33
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 35
BIBLIOGRAPHY 37

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 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGES

1 Types of biodegradable plastics 5
2 Production condition of the Thermoplastic sago starch sheets 24
3 Observations on the TPS extrudates 29
4 One-way Analysis of variance for the 31
Mean Tensile strength at Break of the TPS
5 Weight loss(%) of TPS samples after soil burial. 33
6 Resistance of TPS extrudates to disintegration in water 34

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TITLE PAGE

1 Representative partial structure of (A), amylose 14
And (B), amylopectin (Lifted from Chaplin, 2008)
2 Schematic diagram of starch extrusion processing (Reprinted from 18
Averous, 2004)
3 The improvised tensile strength testing setup: (A) actual testing setup, 25
with inset showing a close-up view of the polymer attached to the iron
clamp; (B) schematic diagram of the testing setup, with x as the length
of the TPS sample.
4 Sample of Compost Pile 26
5 Thermoplastic starch extrudates. (A) 20% glycerol blend 30
Extruded at 90°C; (B) 20% glycerol blend at 110°C; (C) 40%
Glycerol blend extruded at 90°C; (D) 40% glycerol blend extruded at
110°C.
6 The resistance to water disintegration setup. 27