SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEBANGSAAN SULTAN IDRIS SHAH II, GERIK

TITLE:

Starch Extraction from Corn Starch to Make Green

Plastic

PROJECT REPORT
CHEMISTRY COURSEWORK
(962/4) STPM 2019

No Name No I/C
1 A.DARSHINII A/P A.SIVASANMUGAM 001117-08-1014
2 FARAH SALWANA BINTI MOHD 000406-03-0972
AMINNUDDIN

Teacher: Nurul Ain Fathiah Mohd Saidi

 ABSTRACT

Bioplastics are a very good alternative to conventional plastics reducing

the world’s plastic waste. Unlike conventional plastics, bioplastics are
fossil fuel independent and are biodegradable. The theory behind
bioplastics is simple: if we could make plastics from kinder chemicals to
start with, they'd break down more quickly and easily when we got rid of
them. The most familiar bioplastics are made from natural materials such
as corn starch. In this assignment, we are required to prepare green
plastics from starch-rich plant materials. In this experiment, we use corn
starch to produce the green plastic. The mixture of the corn starch then
moulded into a shape as the mixture has turned into plastic. After several
day, it was found that the mixture is hardened. The desired shape is
formed. Biodegradable plastic is the material that will decompose
naturally when introduced in the environment. This outcome is
achievable because the microorganisms in the environment are able to
break down the structures which make the biodegradable plastic. It
creates a result which is believed to be eco-friendly compared to the
traditional plastics that we throw away every day.
 CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………1-6
1.1 Literature review
1.2 Problem statement
1.3 Objective

2.0 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………….7-8

2.1 Apparatus and materials

2.2 Procedure

3.0 OBSERVATION, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...........................9-11

3.1 Observation and results

3.2 Discussion

4.0 CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………12

5.0 REFERENCE ……………………………………………………………….12

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The word "starch" is from a Germanic root with the meanings "strong,
stiff, strengthen, stiffen". Modern German Stärke (strength) is related.
The Greek term for starch, "amylon" (ἄμυλον), is also related. It provides
the root amyl, which is used as a prefix for several 5-carbon compounds
related to or derived from starch (e.g. amyl alcohol).

Structure of starch

Starch, a white, granular, organic chemical that is produced by all

green plants. Starch is a soft, white, tasteless powder that is insoluble in
cold water, alcohol, or other solvents. The basic chemical formula of the
starch molecule is (C6H10O5)n. Starch is a polysaccharide comprising
glucose monomers joined in α-1,4 linkages. The simplest form of starch
is the linear polymer amylose; amylopectin is the branched form. Starch
is a carbohydrate extracted from agricultural raw materials which is
widely present in literally thousands of everyday food and non-food
applications. It is the most important carbohydrate in the human diet.
Because it is renewable and biodegradable it is also a perfect raw material
as a substitute for fossil-fuel components in numerous chemical
applications such as plastics, detergents, glues etc. The starch molecule
consists of a large number of glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. It
is produced by all vegetables as an energy store.

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 Glycosidic bond in the starch

In Europe it is extracted almost exclusively from potatoes, wheat

and maize. Starch is the glucide reserve of plants. The formation of starch
in plants is through the process of photosynthesis. This physiological
mechanism makes it possible for the plants to produce and store the
glucose (elementary sugar) which is necessary for their growth and
reproduction.
Initially, the plant assimilates the carbon from the atmosphere and
transforms it into glucose, the basic molecule. This is then used for the
synthesis of the starch polymers associated with pure glucose. Like the
image of a “pearl necklace”, each plant organises and structures its
macromolecules of glucose in a different way, the number of glucose
units which can vary from 100 to 20,000 in each polymer. In plants,
starch appears as small granules, insoluble in cold water, the size
(between 3 and 100 microns) and form vary according to the origin.
The starch industry separates the components of the plant: starch,
protein, cellulose envelope, soluble fractions and in the case of maize, the
germ from which oil will be extracted. This first phase utilises a series of
simple stages of physical separation of the components: crushing, sifting,
centrifuging, etc. However the methods of manufacture are specific to
each plant and the industrial tools are normally dedicated to a raw
material (maize, wheat or potato in Europe). In the second stage, the
starch which has been extracted in its purest form, will be used as it is
after drying (this is called “native starch”) or it will be further processed,
undergoing various transformations aiming either at modifying its
performance (“modified starch”) or to obtain sweeteners through the
process of hydrolisis.
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Starch can be used to reduce the carbon footprint of traditional resins
because they can replace petroleum-based polymers with natural ones. It
is also highly degradable, meaning it can be used alongside a
compostable polymer without interfering with the degradation process.
This can be considered as to why starch-based plastic should be provided
in every country since it is a biodegradable product. Thus, this can reduce
the pollution of nature. This is because, when we look at plastics in
structural point of view, biodegradable plastics have easily degradable
linkages like anhydride, orthoester, esters. Due to the presence of these
linkages the molecular weight of the plastic drops down to 1000s’ from
lakhs as a result of degradation. Microorganisms are capable of
assimilating these low molecular weight organic material whose
molecular weight is less than 10,000 (approx) and release CO2, H2O,
CH4 as metabolic products.
This process of converting organic carbon(Plastic) to inorganic
carbon(metabolic product) is known as mineralisation. Biodegradable
plastics first degrade to low molecular weight products then they are
mineralized further by biological agent. E.g., PLA, PLGA (They have
hydrolysable ester group that initiate degradation)
Traditional plastics or normal plastics on other hand do not contain
easily degradable linkages. Their main groups are hydrocarbon groups,
amine groups, ester members with hindering groups to prevent easy
degradation. So they stay on land with out degrading for years. However,
when these plastics degrade to molecular weight range of 1000’s they
will also be assimilated by biological agents as the case of biodegradable
plastics. E.g.,PE,PP.
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1.1 LITERATURE REVIEW

Starch, a glucose biopolymer is a major storage component of most

economically important crops: cereal (wheat, rice, oat, corn, barley),
legume (lentil, bean, pea), tuber (potato, sweet potato), and yam
(Dioscorea). Starch exists in plants, together with cellulose, protein, oils
and fats, inorganic salts and other substances. Starch manufacturing is to
extract the starch from plant seeds, root or tuber. The whole starch
extracting process utilizes physical separation method, gradually
separating cellulose, protein and other non-starch substances, so that to
get pure and white starch powder. The chemical structure of the starch in
raw material and the finished starch powder is the same. There are not
chemical changes during the starch extraction. But using sulphur dioxide
acidity material in the processing may cause a small amount of starch
molecular decomposition reaction, which can slightly lower the sticky
paste degrees of starch. Starch extracting process needs a lot of water.
Raw material cleaning, grinding and each separating process all are
processed in water. Insoluble in water and the “proportion of starch is
higher than water and other impurities” are the two main basics for starch
processing plant.

Thermoplastic starch currently represents the most widely used

bioplastic, constituting about 50 percent of the bioplastics market . Simple
starch bioplastic can be made at home. Pure starch is able to
absorb humidity, and is thus a suitable material for the production of drug
capsules by the pharmaceutical sector. Flexibiliser and plasticiser such
as sorbitol and glycerine can also be added so the starch can also be
processed thermo-plastically. The characteristics of the resulting
bioplastic (also called "thermo-plastical starch") can be tailored to
specific needs by adjusting the amounts of these additives.

Plastics are a vital asset for humanity, often providing functionality that
cannot be easily or economically replaced by other materials. Most
plastics are robust and last for hundreds of years. They have replaced
metals in the components of most manufactured goods, including for such
products as computers, car parts and refrigerators, and in so doing have
often made the
4
products cheaper, lighter, safer, stronger and easier to recycle. Plastics
have taken over from paper, glass and cardboard in packaging, usually
reducing cost and carbon emissions while also providing better care of
the items that they protect.
Bioplastic is a plastic that is made partly or wholly from polymers
derived from biological sources such as sugar cane, potato starch or the
cellulose from trees, straw and cotton. Some bioplastics degrade in the
open air, others are made so that they compost in an industrial
composting plant, aided by fungi, bacteria and enzymes. Others mimic
the robustness and durability of conventional plastics such as
polyethylene or PET. Bioplastics can generally be directly substituted for
their oil-based equivalent. Indeed, they can generally be made to be
chemically identical to the standard industrial plastics.
The impact of the growth of bioplastics on the land available for
growing food and on maintaining forest cover is an issue that needs to be
openly discussed, as it is with the use of foodstuffs as feedstocks for
biofuel refineries. But the world’s plastic industry is only about one tenth
the size of the transport fuels sector in terms of its use of oil. If today’s
entire plastics production was made from biological sources it would
consume between 0.1% and 0.2% of the globe’s total annual production
of organic matter (‘net primary production’). This is not a trivial amount
but concerns about the competition for land need to be balanced by
consideration of the enormous potential value of making bioplastics
compared to the equivalent oil-based plastics.
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1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Can biological sources could be turned into environmental-friendly
plastics?

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH

The objective of this experiment is to inculcate awareness on the

occurrence of starches, especially corn starch in the biological sources
that could be turned into environmental-friendly plastics.
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2.0 METHODOLOGY

2.1 APPARATUS AND MATERIAL

Apparatus: Beaker, stirrer, lighter, bunsen burner, wire gauze,

aluminium foil, graduated cylinder, spatula, dropper, electronic
balance, petri dish, cloth
Material: 10g corn starch, 50ml water, 5ml vinegar, 5ml glycerin,
food dye (optional)

Diagram 1: Apparatus and materials

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2.2 PROCEDURE
a) Pour 50ml of water to 10g of corn starch and stir the mixture
b) While stirring, add 5ml of glycerin followed by 5ml of vinegar
c) Add few drops of colouring to the mixture to make it more appealing
and stir the mixture
d) Warm the mixture in the beaker gently by using the bunsen burner
e) Stir the mixture continuously while heating
f) Stop stirring once the mixture become thick and sticky
g) Spread the mixture onto an aluminium foil
h) To mould the mixture into shape, spread it to a cloth thoroughly
i) Cover the cloth with petri dish from both side in order to give it
pressure and shape it into a petri dish shape
j) Let it dry for a few day
k) Result are observed
 Diagram 2: Stir the mixture continuously while heating

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3.0 OBSERVATION, RESULT AND DISCUSSION

3.1 OBSERVATION AND RESULT

The mixture can be moulded into a shape as the mixture has turned into
plastic.
After several day, it was found that the mixture is hardened. The desired
shape is formed.

Diagram 2
 Diagram 3
Diagram 2 and 3: Moulded petri dish

3.2 DISCUSSION

The corn starch plastic is very simple to make and requires very little
time to create. The setback to the prep time is that it required at least 24
hours to dry and at most 2 days to ensure that the plastic is truly
hardened. After the plastic is truly hardened, the plastic can be used as a
container as its shaped into a petri dishes.

However, a few problems are encountered during and after the

experiment. While working on the experiment, researchers realised that
they need to used the accurate measure of materials to make sure that the
mixtures can become sticky. At first, the researchers try to make the
experiment leisurely without using any measurement of materials. As a
result, the mixture produced cannot become sticky and this lead to no
production of plastic. Next, the researchers tried to do the experiment by
using an accurate measurement stated in the procedure. Thus, a sticky
mixture is yield. This mixture then can be hardened to produced a plastic.
Hence the first problem is solved.
 Other than that, the researchers found out that to produce a potent
plastic, one should use a large amount of material. Based on the
experiment, the plastic is not strong enough as the researchers only use a
small amount of materials. To strenghten the plastic, researchers doubled
the amount of materials. The plastic stronger, but not strong enough to
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carry a heavy items.
The plastic production is not expensive. The researchers only used
approximately RM 20 to buy all the materials. By using the same
materials purchased, about 50 more plastic can be formed-depend on the
shape. From this inspection, the researchers knew that the plastic
production by using this technique is not costly.
Lastly, the best part of this plastic research is that the plastic can
degradable easily after three month of consumption. It is very a very
environmentally friendly product that should be produced more in the
future. So that, it can be disposed easily by the consumer.
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4.0 CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, this experiment has allowed us to know that
biodegradable plastic is the material that will decompose naturally when
introduced in the environment. Apart from that, it is also proved that
biodegradable plastic is better than the traditional plastics. Therefore, we
deducted that starches in the biological sources could be turned into
environmental-friendly plastics.

5.0 REFERENCE
a) http://jmpholdings.com.au/food-packaging/corn-starch/

b) https://www.activesustainability.com/environment/what-are-bioplastics/

c) https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-
bioplastics

d) http://cercenvis.nic.in/PDF/green%20plastic.pdf

e) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_bag

f) https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-48095482

g) https://www.greendotbioplastics.com/starch-based-plastics/

h) https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/5-
plastic-substitutes10.htm
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SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEBANGSAAN SULTAN IDRIS SHAH II, GERIK

TITLE:

Starch Extraction from Corn Starch to Make Green

Plastic

LOGBOOK
CHEMISTRY COURSEWORK
(962/4) STPM 2019

No Name No I/C
1 A.DARSHINII A/P A.SIVASANMUGAM 001117-08-1014
2 FARAH SALWANA BINTI MOHD 000406-03-0972
AMINNUDDIN
 Teacher: Nurul Ain Fathiah Mohd Saidi

Date Time Activity

7/6/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Briefing on the project
28/6/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Finding the topic for the project
26/7/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Discuss the project file
16/8/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Discuss the project introduction
6/9/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Discuss the project methodology
13/9/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Do the experiment
20/9/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Observation, result and conclusion
27/9/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Recheck the coursework
8/9/2019 10:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m Submit the coursework