The Feasibility of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas) Starch and Purple

Yam (Dioscorea Alata) Starch with Reinforcement Fillers

(Eggshells) as An Alternative to Plastics.

LJ Keidlyn S. Aquino
Queen Nicole A. Cruz
Ma. Anika N. Cusi
Bernadine Guanlao
Arnaiz G. Mañalac Jr.
Jonathan S. Valencia Jr.
Researchers

Region III
Division of Pampanga
District of Santa Rita
Becuran High School

Ma. Generosa T. Agustin

Research Adviser

Grade 10 – Thales
Grade & Section
 Investigatory Project of Sweet Potato Bioplastic and Purple Yam Bioplastic

Eggshell as Reinforcement Filler

Step 1. Gathering of eggshells.

Step 2. Washing of eggshells until they are clean.

Step 3. Letting the eggshells dry under the sun.

Step 4. Blending the eggshells into fine powder.

Step 5. Straining the eggshells to make it finer.

Production of Sweet Potato Flour and Sweet Potato Bioplastic

Step 1. Collecting of sweet potatoes
Step 2. Peeling, grating, and washing the Sweet Potatoes

Step 3. Blending sweet potatoes with water

Step 4. Covering the mixture then decanting the water

Step 5. Letting the sweet potato flour dry

Step 6. Blending the sweet potato flour into fine powder.

Step 7. Adding all the ingredients needed for the production of sweet potato bioplastic with and
without eggshell.
Step 8. Letting the sweet potato bioplastic dry under the sun.

Step 9. Cutting and naming the sweet potato bioplastic.

 Production of Purple Yam Flour and Purple Yam Bioplastic
Step 1. Collecting of purple yam and the materials needed

Step 2. Peeling and washing of purple yam

Step 3. Blending purple yam with water

Step 4. Covering the mixture then decanting the water waiting for it to be clear
Step 5. Letting the purple yam flour dry

Step 6. Blending the purple yam flour into fine powder

Step 7. Adding all the ingredients needed for the production of purple yam bioplastic with and
without eggshell.

Step 8. Letting the purple yam bioplastic dry under the sun.
Step 9. Cutting the purple yam bioplastic.

Characterization of the bioplastic samples

Sweet Potato Bioplastic (with & without eggshell)
A.) Water Solubility
Pouring 15g of water in the container and soaking the bioplastic samples.
 Before & After of Sweet Potato Bioplastic Water Solubility

B.) Alcohol Solubility

 Pouring 15g of ethyl alcohol in the container and soaking the bioplastic samples.

Before & After of Sweet Potato Bioplastic Alcohol Solubility.

C.) Soil Biodegradability

 Collecting soil and burying the bioplastic samples.

Before & After of Sweet Potato Bioplastic Soil Biodegradability.

D.) Tensile Strength

Put one peso coin on the plastic until it rips off.
 Tensile Strength test of Sweet Potato Bioplastic.

Purple Yam Bioplastic (with & without eggshell)

A.) Water Solubility
Pouring 15g of water in the container and soaking the bioplastic samples.

Before & After of Purple Yam Bioplastic Water Solubility

B.) Alcohol Solubility

Pouring 15g of ethyl alcohol in the container and soaking the bioplastic samples.
 Before & After of Purple Yam Bioplastic Alcohol Solubility.

C.) Soil Biodegradability

Collecting soil and burying the bioplastic samples.

Before & After of Purple Yam Bioplastic Soil Biodegradability.

D.) Tensile Strength
Put one peso coin on the plastic until it rips off.

Research Data for Sweet Potato Bioplastic

A.) Water Solubility

With eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Water Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 3.8 g 3.5 g 7.89%

2nd 3.8 g 3.2 g 15.79%

 3rd 3.8 g 2.8 g 26.32%

Averages 3.8 g 3.17 g 16.58%

Table 1. Water Solubility of Sweet Potato Bioplastic with Eggshell.

Without eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Water Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 4.1 g 3.9 g 4.88%

2nd 4.1 g 4g 2.44%

3rd 4.1 g 3.8 g 7.32%

Averages 4.1 g 3.9 g 4.88%

Table 2. Water Solubility of Sweet Potato Bioplastic without Eggshell.

B.) Alcohol Solubility

With eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Alcohol Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 3.8 g 3.6 g 5.26 %

2nd 3.8 g 3.7 g 2.63 %

3rd 3.8 g 3.5 g 7.89 %

 Averages 3.8 g 3.6 g 5.26 %

Table 3. Alcohol Solubility of Sweet Potato Bioplastic with Eggshell.

Without eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Alcohol Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 4.1 g 3.8 g 7.32 %

2nd 4.1 g 3.9 g 4.88 %

3rd 4.1 g 3.6 g 12.20 %

Averages 4.1 g 3.77 g 8.05 %

Table 4. Alcohol Solubility of Sweet Potato Bioplastic without Eggshell.

C.) Soil Biodegradability

With eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Weight loss Percentage (%)
reinforcement filler

1st 3.8 g 2.3 g 39.47%

2nd 3.8 g 2.5 g 34.21%

3rd 3.8 g 0g 100%

 Averages 3.8 g 4.8 g 26.32%

Table 5. Soil Biodegradability of Sweet Potato Bioplastic with Eggshell.

Without eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Weight loss Percentage (%)
reinforcement filler

1st 4.1 g 3.7 g 9.76 %

2nd 4.1 g 3.3 g 19.51 %

3rd 4.1 g 1.4 g 65.85 %

Averages 4.1 g 2.8 g 31. 71%

Table 6. Soil Biodegradability of Sweet Potato Bioplastic without Eggshell.

D.) Tensile Strength

Sweet Potato Bioplastic 1st 2nd 3rd Averages

Samples Trial Trial Trial

With eggshell as 11 8 26 15
reinforcement filler

Without eggshell as 44 37 42 41
reinforcement filler
 Number of Philippine one peso coin.

Table 7. Tensile Strength of Sweet Potato Bioplastic with & without eggshell.

Research Data for Purple Yam Bioplastic

A.) Water Solubility

With eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Water Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 7.2 g 6.8 g 5.6%

2nd 7.2 g 6.3 g 12.5%

3rd 7.2 g 6.6 g 8.3%

Averages 7.2 g 6.6 g 8.3%

Table 8. Water Solubility of Purple Yam Bioplastic with Eggshell.

Without eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Water Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 6.4 g 5.9 g 7.81 %

2nd 6.4 g 5.4 g 15.63 %

3rd 6.4 g 5.1 g 20.31 %

 Averages 6.4 g 5.47 g 14.53 %

Table 9. Water Solubility of Purple Yam Bioplastic without Eggshell.

B.) Alcohol Solubility

With eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Alcohol Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 7.2 g 7g 90.02%

2nd 7.2 g 6.8 g 87.24%

3rd 7.2 g 6.9 g 88.63%

Averages 16.8 g 16.1 g 79.03%

Table 3. Alcohol Solubility of Purple Yam Bioplastic with Eggshell.

Without eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Alcohol Solubility Percentage

reinforcement filler (%)

1st 6.4 g 6.2 g 90.48%

2nd 6.4 g 6.3 g 92.04%

3rd 6.4 g 6.2 g 90.48%

 Averages 14.93 g 14.57 g 82.66%

Table 10. Alcohol Solubility of Purple Yam Bioplastic without Eggshell.

C.) Soil Biodegradability

With eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Weight loss Percentage (%)
reinforcement filler

1st 7.2 g 7g 2.8%

2nd 7.2 g 6.8 g 5.6%

3rd 7.2 g 6.9 g 4.2%

Averages 7.2 g 6.9 g 4.2%

Table 11. Soil Biodegradability of Purple Yam Bioplastic with Eggshell.

Without eggshell as Initial Weight Final Weight Weight loss Percentage (%)
reinforcement filler

1st 6.4 g 5.9 g 7.81 %

2nd 6.4 g 5.8 g 9.38 %

 3rd 6.4 g 5.6 g 12.5 %

Averages 6.4 g 5.77 g 9.84%

Table 12. Soil Biodegradability of Purple Yam Bioplastic without Eggshell.

D.) Tensile Strength

Purple Yam Bioplastic 1st 2nd 3rd Averages

Samples Trial Trial Trial

With eggshell as 70 98 89 86
reinforcement filler

Without eggshell as
reinforcement filler 143 333 367 421

Number of Philippine one-peso coin.

Table 13. Tensile Strength of Purple Yam Bioplastic with & without eggshell.

Observation Table
Sweet Potato Bioplastic
Characteristics Reinforcement Fillers (Eggshells)
With Without
Dissolving easily in water ✓
and alcohol
Easy to spread when making ✓
Unpleasant Smell ✓
Rough Texture ✓
 Transparency ✓
Breaks Easily ✓
Appearance ✓

Purple Yam Bioplastic

Characteristics Reinforcement Fillers (Eggshells)
With Without
Dissolving easily in water ✓
and alcohol
Easy to spread when making ✓
Unpleasant Smell ✓
Rough Texture ✓
Transparency ✓
Breaks Easily ✓
Appearance ✓