Analytical hierarchical process of edible biomass as primary feedstocks in biodegradable plastic production / Ziwei Zhong

Ziwei , Zhong (2022) Analytical hierarchical process of edible biomass as primary feedstocks in biodegradable plastic production / Ziwei Zhong. Masters thesis, Universiti Malaya.

	PDF (The Candidate's Agreement) Restricted to Repository staff only Download (140Kb)
	PDF (Thesis M.A.) Download (980Kb)

Abstract

Plastic is one of the world's most versatile materials due to its durability, stability, and low production costs. Plastics take an extremely long time to degrade and due to their widespread use, large amounts of plastic waste are released into the environment worldwide, which contributes to the current problem of white pollution. The waste plastics that accumulate in the environment can be further degraded by weathering into smaller pieces, such as microplastics and nanoplastics, but these small pieces can cause more harm to the environment than larger plastics. How to solve the environmental problems caused by plastics is a global topic and challenge. The production of biodegradable plastics, a countermeasure to the root cause, has become a hot topic of research in recent years. At present, biodegradable plastics are not an alternative to conventional plastics, as many different factors such as production costs, production processes, product properties, and the handling of biodegradable plastics are hindering the development of biodegradable plastics. Therefore, the selection of suitable raw materials is of paramount importance for the development and widespread use of biodegradable plastics. This study will begin with the selection of natural biomass resources for use as feedstock in the production of biodegradable plastics through an extensive literature search. Then various criteria influencing the selection of natural biomass were rated with the assistance of literature review. Finally, the most viable natural biomass was selected as a composite feedstock in the production of biodegradable plastics by using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results of the study showed that maize is the most favorable natural biomass for the production of biodegradable plastic.

Actions (For repository staff only : Login required)