Major Process in Making Cassava

1. Bioplastic Preparation

Before producing cassava bags, a one-piece cassava bioplastic trial will be

conducted to test its tensile strength. By dispersing 200 ml of distilled water and sorbitol

with concentrations ranging from 20 percent wt/v of plasticizer to starch, a solution

containing 6 percent wt/wt of fillers to starch was prepared. The solution was placed in

the ultrasonic homogenizer tank and processed for approximately 50 minutes. After

ultrasonication, solution was removed from the tank. Starch (10 gram) was added to the

solution and heated using hot plate while stirred until it gelatinized (70ºC). After mixing,

the solution was cast onto flat and dried with temperature 60ºC for 24 hour.

2. FTIR Analysis of Bioplastic

Once set, the bioplastic was allowed to cool to room temperature before being peeled off the

flat. Tensile Strength and Break Elongation Tensile strength was determined using the GoTech

Universal Testing Machine and the ASTM D882-91 standard. The observed data was used to

compute the tensile strength. The percentage of elongation at break indicates the flexibility of

bioplastics.
2.1 Tensile Strength and Elongation at Break

Each mixture's sample was cut into 1 cm 6.0 cm pieces, and the ASTM D638 cross-speed of 5

mm/min was used. The maximum tensile strength was 9.12 MPa with an MCC content of 6%

and a sorbitol content of 20%. A higher sorbitol content resulted in a lower tensile strength. It

should be noted that increasing the sorbitol content up to 30% resulted in lower tensile strength.

The results showed a decrease in elongation at break as MCC content increased from 0% to 6%.

The findings demonstrate the relationship between the mechanical properties of bioplastics and

the addition of reinforcement fillers and plasticizers. While the addition of MCC as

reinforcement fillers represented an improvement in tensile strength with increasing value.

2.2 Water Absorption Test

A sample size of 1 cm x 3 cm with a thickness of 0.028 cm was prepared for the water

absorption test and dried in an oven at 50 °C for 2 hours. By soaking the sample in water for 24

hours, the bioplastic humidity absorption capacity was determined. The sample was then

instantly dried using a cloth and weight. Water uptake decreased as MCC content increased for

bioplastics with an MCC content of 6%. Furthermore, because of its hydrophilic nature, starch

was more sensitive to water than cellulose.

3. Production of Granules

After the FTIR analysis, the powder form will be mixed with filler and additives in container

mixer for 2hrs and will be processed in a plastic granule machine for 3 hours, resulting in the

production of granules.

4. Film production

The granules produced in the previous step are fed into an extruder machine, which produces

films of various thicknesses. This film is stretched with the help of rollers, then cooled and rolled

to be used in the production of cassava bags. The entire process of this machine is automated,

from film roll sealing to bag cutting and punching. With its two-server motor support, this

machine punches flat bags to sando or t-shirt bags automatically, and it can make different size

printed bags in two lines at the same time. A total of 5,294 units per day are expected to be

manufactured.

Table 3.2 Time Frame of Production Process

Process Duration Time No. of Workers

Bioplastic
preparation
 Drying 24hrs
Tensile Strength and

Elongation at Break
water absorption 24hrs

test
Mixing
production of

granules
film production

Cassava Bioplastic Production Area