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Create you own bioplastic

Experiments

Plastic is actually a wonder material: it’s lightweight, strong, and lasts a long time. But... for the environment, the fact that plastic lasts so long is a big problem. You’ve probably heard about the 'plastic soup' in our oceans.

Most plastics (over 99%) are made from petroleum. Fortunately, scientists are experimenting with other materials that break down more easily to create plastic. We call this bioplastic. You can even make bioplastic from potato starch. Give it a try!

Step by step

Requirements

  • Water
  • Tablespoon
  • Small pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Potato starch
  • Teaspoon
  • Vinegar
  • Parchment paper
  • Glycerin (available at pharmacies or drugstores)

How to make it

  1. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the countertop or a baking tray.

  2. Pour 30 tablespoons of cold water into a saucepan.

  3. Add the following to the water: 3 tablespoons of potato starch, 3 teaspoons of vinegar, and 3 teaspoons of glycerin.
  4. Mix everything thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
  5. Bring the mixture to a boil. Ask an adult to help you with this. Once the mixture starts boiling, let it simmer for another 2 minutes. Keep stirring constantly; you will notice the mixture slowly becoming thicker.
  6. Carefully pour the mixture from the pan onto the baking paper. Use a clean tablespoon to spread it out into a thin layer.
  7. Let the plastic dry. This will take at least a full day and night (24 hours
  8. Take a look at your bioplastic. Does it feel and look the same as the plastic you use every day?
Blauw Plastic2

What happened?

You have made a bioplastic! An ideal bioplastic is both strong and slightly flexible, and it is biodegradable. Starch is one of the materials that can be used to create bioplastic. Potato starch contains a substance called amylopectin. Amylopectin is hard and rigid. The vinegar ensures that the amylopectin becomes flexible. By adding glycerin, which is naturally supple, the amylopectin remains flexible even after it has dried.