Fantast

ic
bioplas
tic
Can
cornstarch be
used to make
bioplastic?
 Hypothesis
Bioplastics can be made with corn starch.

Background information
Plastics playpurpose
an important role in our daily lives. On
average, Americans collectively use 2,500,000 plastic
To producebottles
a biodegradable
every hour,plastic which
but few is an bottles are
of these
environment friendly
recycled substitute
or reused. Manyfor hazardous
of the regular that we
plastic bottles
plastics. use today are not biodegradable. Biodegradable
means that a certain material is capable of being
decomposed, or broken down, by microorganisms.
Plastics are also used in schools, hospitals, homes,
Graphs/data/pictures
 Procedure
1. Place 2 tbsp. of cornstarch in a plastic sandwich bag.
2. Add 2 drops of vegetable oil to the bag using a pipette.
3. Add 1 ½ tbsp. of water to the bag.

4. Add 1/2 tbsp. of corn syrup and mix well. (What other types of
starch could be used to make bioplastic? Think about foods or plants
that have starch content similar to that of corn.)
5. Add 2 drops of your favorite food coloring to the mixture and stir
well.
6. Microwave your plastic for 25 seconds on high. Let stand 1-2
minutes before removing. (Caution: sandwich bag and contents will
be VERY hot)
7. Form your plastic into a ball or flatten it out into a sheet and
observe what happens.
 Results and conclusion

Resources
http://polymerinnovationblog.com/biobased-or-biodegradable-polymers-whats-the-difference/
https://www.kyfb.com/media/files/fed/ag-in-the-classroom/lesson-plans/Make%20Your%20Own
%20Biodegradable%20Plastic%20Stuff%204-6.pdf
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jul/10-the-worlds-largest-dump#.UxUaAlzN6hN
http://craft.eku.edu/sites/craft.eku.edu/files/Fantastic_Plastic_Lab_Activity.pdf