Abstract—The purpose of this study was to investigate the microstructure and characteristics of biodegradable composites made from corn stalk powder fiber material and a polypropylene plastic matrix, using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis. The issue of environmental pollution caused by plastic waste is a growing concern, with plastic waste accounting for an average of 10% of total waste production, and less than 1% of plastic waste being effectively decomposed due to the synthetic polymers used in their production. Developing biodegradable plastic materials, such as bioplastics, is one way to address this problem. In this study, different compositions of the composite materials were tested using SEM and microphotography. The composite materials consisted of a polypropylene plastic matrix with varying amounts of corn stalk powder fibers (5%, 10%, and 15%). The SEM results showed that the composition of 85% polypropylene plastic and 15% corn stalk powder had a more significant impact on the mechanical properties of the composites, due to a stronger bond between the plastic and polypropylene. Overall, this study provides important insights into the development of biodegradable plastic materials that can help mitigate the environmental impact of plastic waste.

Keywords—natural fibre, plastic composite, corn stalk, polypropylene, biodegradation, sustainable materials

Cite: Joko Sedyono, Agus Dwi Anggono, Agus Hariyanto, Masyrukan, Bayu Warseno, and Rifky Sulistyo, "Optimizing Mechanical Properties in Biodegradable Composites: Polypropylene and Corn Stalk Powder Fibers," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 266-277, 2024.

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