Bioplastic Ingredients & Recipes
Bioplastic = Biopolymer + Plasticiser + Additives
Biopolymer: Strength
Plasticiser: Flexibility
Additives: Colour, etc.
Starch
Starch is a naturally occurring biopolymer. A polymer is needed as the
‘backbone’ of the plastic. Starch does not produce a very strong bioplastic
and it is not very good for making hard plastic objects but strength can be
increased by mixing with other polymers, such as gelatine
Gelatine
Another biopolymer which produces harder plastics than starch.
Agar
Another biopolymer similar to gelatine but plant (seaweed/algae) based.
Produced stronger
Casein
Casein is the protein in milk. It is a monomer, but the addition of vinegar
denatures the protein molecules to rearrange (polymerise) into long chains of
molecules, producing a biopolymer, which is hard and brittle.
Glycerine
Glycerine is a plasticiser, one of the two key ingredients needed to make a
plastic. The plasticiser interacts with the polymer to make the bioplastic
flexible and strong. Glycerine is used in bioplastics because it is cheap and
abundant. It is produced by fermenting sugar. It is also produced as a by-
product of soap making.
• Plastics with more plasticiser are tough and bendable
• Plastics with less plasticiser are hard and brittle
A gelatine/glycerine based bioplastic with a very low level of glycerine
produces a hard, rigid plastic for creating solid objects.
Less glycerine: Hard, more brittle
More Glycerine: Soft and flexible
Too much: Sticky and slimy
Sorbitol
Another plasticiser, less easily sourced than glycerine and more expensive
but longer lasting and more effective.
Water
Water is used as a solvent to get the biopolymer (eg: starch) into solution.
When the solution is heated, the water helps the starch molecules to become
disrupted and disordered (denatured). When dried the disordered polymer
chains become entangled and a neat film is formed. This is called film casting.
Vinegar
Starch dissolves better if a small amount of ions (electrically charged
particles) are present in the mixture; the polymer molecules become
disordered more easily and the resulting cast films are somewhat improved.
These added ions interact with both the starch and the small amounts of
other polymers (lipoproteins) that are present in commercial starch.
Vinegar contains acetic acid which forms hydrogen ions and acetate ions, and
is readily available. This is why adding vinegar is recommended specifically
when making home-made bioplastic films from starch.
Salt
If you can’t use vinegar, ordinary table salt (sodium chloride) is a reasonable
substitute; it forms sodium ions and chloride ions. Whatever is added, the
ions that are formed in solution help to dissolve the starch and to denature
the starch when the mixture is heated, so that when the mixture is dried
better films are formed.
Adapted from: http://green-plastics.net/posts/69/qaa-why-water-and-vinegar/
1. Casein Plastic
1 cup fresh milk
splash of vinegar
----
heat slowly in a pan
stir constantly until steaming
don’t allow to boil
add vinegar, stir until separated
drain liquid, form a lump
----
allow to dry for 1-3 days
2. Gelatine/Glycerine Flexible
2g gelatine
100ml of 1% glycerine solution
50ml water
----
mix until no visible lumps
heat & stir until froths/steams
pour onto clean flat tray
----
allow to dry for 1-3 days
3. Gelatine/Glycerine Hard
24g gelatine
6g glycerine
120ml hot water
----
mix until no visible lumps
heat & stir until froths/steams
pour onto clean flat tray
----
allow to dry for 1-3 days
4. Starch Plastic (v1)
22g water
3g baking powder
+
75g water
8g starch
15g vinegar
22g glycerine
----
mix baking powder + water
mix other ingredients
heat & stir until thickens
add baking powder & water
stir/boil until gooey (5-10 mins)
----
allow to dry for 1-2 days
5. Starch Plastic (v2)
10ml water
1\4
teaspoon baking powder
+
55ml of 10% glycerine solution
5g starch
5g vinegar
----
heat slowly in a pan
stir constantly, don’t allow to boil
take off of heat
add baking powder/water
stir and heat until mixed
----
allow to dry for 1-3 days
Other recipes, untested
6. Starch/Glycerine
160ml of 1% glycerine solution
3g starch
45mg salt
7. Agar Only
3.0 g agar
240 ml of 1% glycerine solution
180 ml water
8. Agar/Starch Blend
2 g sorbitol
4 g starch
400 ml water
1 g agar
160 ml of 1% glycerine solution
9. Gelatin/Agar Blend
2 g sorbitol
2 g gelatine
2 g agar
160 ml of 1% glycerine solution
210 ml water
