BIOPLASTIC

Materials required:

• Glycerol

• Vinegar

• Distilled water

• Corn starch

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Mix 15 g of corn starch, 10 mL of vinegar, 10 mL of glycerol, and 100 mL of distilled water together in a beaker and heat the solution to a slow boil. Once the solution turns into a thick slurry, pour it out onto a mold/cardboard sheet. After leaving the bioplastic slurry to cool and dry for 24 hours, the bioplastic is ready. 

1. Biodegradable (add a time that it takes to decompose) as compared to plastic

2. Compostable

3. Easily and readily made/accessible

4. The physical properties of the bioplastic can be changed easily

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For more information, check out our infographic!

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Bioplastics are environmentally friendly plastics that are made from biological substances, such as corn starch and glycerin, rather than the petroleum used to make synthetic plastics. Due to this difference, bioplastics are biodegradable, whereas synthetic plastics are not. 

Bioplastics are very versatile due to their ability to conform to various demands. The tensile strength of bioplastic can be adjusted by using different agricultural products as a stand-in for corn starch. For example, bioplastics made with rice and/or wheat starches have lower tensile strength than bioplastics made with corn starch. Its heat resistivity can also be adjusted by adding various amounts of glycerol, or plasticizer in general, to the bioplastic solution before mixing its contents. Also, bioplastics can be given hydrophobic properties by adding castor oil into the bioplastic solution.