Biofoam Dari Serat Kapas Dengan Pengikat Pati Sagu Bermatriks Polyvinil Alkohol (PVA)

Abstract

The widespread use of styrofoam for food packaging poses serious environmental problems due to its non-biodegradable nature and petroleum-based origin. This study aims to develop an environmentally friendly biofoam as an alternative material based on a Polymer Matrix Composite (PMC). The biofoam was synthesized using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the matrix, cotton fiber as the filler, and sago starch as the binder, with variations in glycerol addition. The research employed a experiment method accompanied by density measurement, water absorption and turbidity observation, fungal growth evaluation, and biodegradation testing. The results indicate that biofoam with glycerol addition exhibits higher density compared to the sample without glycerol. Water immersion tests showed that both samples were resistant to water despite their hydrophilic composition; however, the sample without glycerol displayed higher water turbidity due to less homogeneous mixing. Fungal growth observations revealed that the glycerol-added sample demonstrated better resistance to fungal contamination, while the sample without glycerol showed fungal growth in the third week. Biodegradation tests revealed an increase in mass for both samples without significant decomposition, attributed to the strong binding properties of sago starch. These findings highlight the importance of mixing homogeneity and glycerol addition in improving biofoam quality, indicating its potential as a sustainable alternative for food packaging applications.