Oil Palm Empty Bunches as an Alternative Raw Material for Making Bioplastics

The purpose of this research is to obtain bioplastics that are biodegradable and safe if disposed of in the environment. This bioplastic is made using Empty Bunches and white rice and plasticizer. White rice flour as a source of starch with variations in the addition of chitosan additives and glycerol plastilizer. The analysis of the biodegradable plastic products produced was tested for physical and mechanical characteristics such as thickness, water resistance test (%), biodegradation rate (%), and tensile strength (MPa). The method used is by mixing the starch from the mixture of empty bunches and white rice and adding glycerol and chitosan plasticizers. The mixture is heated at a temperature of 70 80 C for 60 minutes. Data from the analysis of Biodegradable plastics products showed that the more glycerol and starch added, the greater the tensile strength and the percentage of elongation. Bioplastics produced From the data, it can be seen that 1.2 grams of chitosan has the best water resistance compared to the others, which is valued at 78.02%. This is due to the hydrophobic nature of chitosan and insoluble in water. So, the greater the chitosan concentration, the greater the % water resistance and the better the plastic resistance to water. Keyword : bioplastics, biodegradable, plasticizer, palm bunch, biodegradable plastics