Author: Emily Wang
Date of Experiment: Oct. 7th, 2020
Date due: Oct. 14th, 2020
Introduction
Bio-materials is a kind of synthetic or natural material suitable for use in constructing artificial organs and prostheses or to replace bone and tissue. For billions of years, the evolvement of plants and animals allow us to make materials with a particular set of ingredients that other organisms know how to source, use, breakdown, and use again. Among those bio-materials, bio-plastic is the most common one produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils. There are two main types of it: polyactic acid and polyhydroxyalkanoate. Both of them are biodegradable which be broken down completely into water, carbon dioxide and compost by microorganisms under the right conditions. However, from the business perspective, we need to invest huge amount of time and money on developing and adopting bioplastics. In this case, I’m making this experiment by using different recipes to make bioplastics to see the time and material cost of it.
Ingredients
50mL Water
5mL Vinegar
5g Glycerol
7.5g potato starch
Methods
First, measure all ingredients like water, vinegar, glycerol and potato starch based on certain ratio.
Next, mix them together in the pot and keep stirring until all of them are combined.
Then, turn on the stove for pre-heat and wait for the temperature to be ready.
Put the pot on stove and heat the mixture with a medium heat.
Keep stirring the mixture regularly to avoid clumping and wait for it getting thicker and turning slightly translucent.
After about two minutes, move the mixture out of the pot and fill in a rectangle container.
Data
Results
In the process of heating up, the mixture turns to milky color. Sooner, it gets thicker and turns slightly translucent.
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