Abstract:
The increasing accumulation of
agricultural residues has encouraged their
valorization as biofillers in biodegradable polymer
systems. This study developed starch-based
bioplastic films incorporating Myristica fragrans
(nutmeg) shell powder and quantified the effect of
filler concentration on tensile strength, water
absorption, thickness, and soil-burial weight loss.
Films were prepared by solution casting using corn
starch and agar as matrix materials, glycerol as a
plasticizer, and nutmeg shell powder at 0, 3.23,
6.25, 9.09, and 11.76% (w/w). For corn starch-
based films, mean tensile strength decreased from
15.58 N at 0% to 8.82 N at 3.23% filler and
subsequently increased to 13.89 N at 11.76%.
Water absorption (Mean) increased progressively
from 24.98% to 66.65%, while film thickness
increased from 1.26 mm to 1.98 mm at 9.09% filler
and remained at 1.94 mm at 11.76%. Seven-day
soil-burial weight loss increased from 6.57% in the
unfilled film to 33.17% at 11.76% filler. In
contrast, agar-based films exhibited a progressive
reduction in tensile strength (mean) from 31.23 N
at 0% to 7.93 N at 11.76% filler, while water
absorption ranged from 60.83% to 72.20%. At
6.25% nutmeg shell powder, the corn starch film
exhibited a tensile strength of 9.70 N, water
absorption of 35.55%, thickness of 1.96 mm, and
seven-day soil-burial weight loss of 20.40%, with
coefficients of variation of 0.03, 0.11, 0.12, and
0.10, respectively. These results establish the
concentration-dependent effects of M. fragrans
shell powder on starch-based bioplastic film
properties and demonstrate its feasibility as a
lignocellulosic biofiller for biodegradable film
development.
