Preparation and Characterization of Biodegradable Plastic From Luffa Cylindrica

The need to reduce the amount of plastic dumped around that contains carbon footprints, which are non-degradable and in most cases lead to disruption of the ecosystem, cannot be overemphasized. Bio-plastics, on the other hand, are environmentally–friendly and biodegradable. They can be produced from agricultural waste containing a large amount of cellulose rather than using animal feed-stock, hence providing an effective way to replace conventional plastics. Thus, this study was conducted to produce bio-plastics from Luffa cylindrica in combination with other additives, such as glycerol and acetic acid. The produced bio-plastic was characterized using TGA, and TEM. The TEM analysis reveals no spherical particles or contaminants visible, implying purified cellulose extract. This confirms successful nanoscaling of luffa cylindrica into stable, crystalline nanoparticles, advancing sustainable material design for bio-plastic production. The TGA analysis reveals several peaks, with the prominent peak of the curve for cellulose at around 40–50%, ranging between 300 and 400℃, suggesting a high thermal stability for the sample.