Protocolo para desenvolvimento de biocompósitos derivados de resíduos agroindustriais ricos em amido

Abstract

The use of plastic materials from non-renewable sources has increased a lot in recent years, and despite the advantages that plastics provide for the industries; when improperly disposed of they cause serious environmental problems. With the aim of minimizing the environmental impacts caused by plastics, several studies have been carried out to develop biodegradable products for various applications, and biodegradable polymers have been gaining more and more prominence for their potential to replace in various areas the polymers from non-renewable sources. One of the alternatives is the development of biodegradable polymer composites obtained from residues generated by agroindustry, such as potato waste. The creation of composites from agroindustrial residues reduces the amount of residue generated by the industries and the volume of residue disposal in the environment, making it a sustainable alternative. Thus, the present work aimed at creating a biodegradable polymer composite based on agroindustrial potato residue, using pectin, starch, emulsifier and glycerol to confer properties to the material. The chemical characterization of the potato waste was carried out regarding the moisture, ash, starch, cellulose and insoluble fiber contents. The composites used for the mechanical properties and biodegradability analyses were composites 1 and 2, referring to tests 4 and 5. From the mechanical tests obtained, composite 1 presented higher tensile strength than composite 2, resulting in 100.27 kPa and an elongation of 14.67%, also presenting satisfactory result in the biodegradability test; demonstrating to be a material of easy production and with several possibilities of industrial application.