A preliminary study of bioplastic composites based on carbon materials from paper waste and corn waste

Waste materials continue to increase and have become a major problem in many countries. In this work,waste was recycled to form bioplastic composites. The study focused on the bioplastic (starch-cellulose acetate)-carbon material composites. The Graphene Oxide (GO) and Carbon-dots (CD) were chosen as filler materials. The physical properties of these bioplastics were investigated using tensile test, water uptake test and biodegradation test. Results showed that the addition of GO and CD reduced the tensile strength and elongation. It was also found that the water uptake decreased while the biodegradation rate increased with GO or CD addition. The interaction between the bioplastic starch-cellulose acetate matrix and the carbon materials as fillers can change the mechanical properties of the bioplastics. The carbon materials fill in the pores in bioplastics and make the bioplastic more waterproof and their hydrophilic properties attract water faster and help the activation of microbial activity during the biodegradation.