As more and more industries use plastic, the demand for biodegradable alternatives is at an all-time high, considering the current state of climate change and solid waste. Moreover, part of the solid waste problem includes agricultural waste such as corn cobs. As a proposed solution, this study aims to identify if corn cob fiber has the potential to reinforce thermoplastic starch in terms of water absorption, water solubility, and moisture content. Using a sodium hydroxide solution, the corn cob fiber was extracted and incorporated into thermoplastic starch with varying percentages: 0% fiber, 5% fiber, 10% fiber, and 15% fiber. Testing revealed that there is a difference between the samples, showing an inverse relationship. As the percentage of corn cob fiber increases, the water absorption, water solubility, and moisture content decrease. Despite this, the differences between the samples are not significant based on statistical analysis and empirical observations. This is due to the lack of a coupling agent such as Methylenediphenyl 4,4′-diisocyanate (MDI), used in the study. Moreover, testing the thickness swelling of the samples could also help in identifying the potential of corn cob fiber as a thermoplastic starch reinforcement. Overall, the study suggests that corn cob fiber possesses no potential of being a thermoplastic starch reinforcement in the absence of coupling agents.
Keywords: corn cob, thermoplastic, fiber, extraction, reinforcement