Chapter I Introduction Background of the Study

The researcher have read one article from the internet that saysresearch has been done on biodegradable plastics and found out

that itcan break with exposure to sunlight such as ultra-violet radiation,water or dampness, bacteria, enzymes, wind abrasion and

someinstances like rodent pest or insect attack. The idea of improving thequalities of biodegradable plastics has been entered to the

researcher.So, the researcher proposed that cogon grass can be an effectivecomponent for ideal biodegradable plastics, since cogon grass

isfrequently used by the people and this study will introduce anotherimportant use of cogon grass In the past years, cogon grass was usedto

build better and stronger houses but nowadays, people haveforgotten the uses of cogon grass because of cement and hollow blocks.

Plastics are indispensable to our modern way of life. Many peoplesleep on pillows and mattresses filled with a type of plastic

eithercellular polyurethane or polyester. At night, people sleep underblankets and bedspreads made of acrylic plastics, and in the morning,they

step out of bed onto polyester and nylon carpets. The cars wedrive, the computers we use, the utensils we cook with, the

recreational equipment we play with, and the houses and buildings welive and work in all include important plastic components. The

averagecar contains almost 136 kg (almost 300 lb) of plastics nearly 12percent of the vehicle s overall weight. Telephones, textiles,

compactdiscs, paints, plumbing fixtures, boats, and furniture are otherdomestic products made of plastics. In 1979 the volume of

plasticsproduced in the United States surpassed the volume of domesticallyproduced steel.

Plastics possess a wide variety of useful properties and arerelatively inexpensive to produce. They are lighter than many materialsof

comparable strength and unlike metals and wood, plastics do notrust or rot. Most plastics can be produced in any color. They can alsobe

manufactured as clear as glass, translucent (transmitting smallamounts of light), or opaque (impenetrable to light).

Plastics consist of very long molecules each composed of carbonatoms linked into chains. One type of plastic, known as

polyethylene, iscomposed of extremely long molecules that each contain over 200,000carbon atoms. These long, chainlike molecules give

plastics uniqueproperties and distinguish plastics from materials, such as metals, thathave short, crystalline molecular structures. Although

some plasticsare made from plant oils, the majority are made from fossil fuels. Fossilfuels contain hydrocarbons (compounds containing

hydrogen andcarbon), which provide the building blocks for long polymer molecules.

These small building blocks, called monomers, link together to formlong carbon chains called polymers. The process of forming these

longmolecules from hydrocarbons is known as polymerization. Themolecules typically form viscous, sticky substances known as resins,which

are used to make plastic products.

Ethylene, for example, is a gaseous hydrocarbon. When it issubjected to heat, pressure, and certain catalysts (substances used

toenable faster chemical reactions), the ethylene molecules join togetherinto long, repeating carbon chains. These joined molecules form

aplastic resin known as polyethylene.

Joining identical monomers to make carbon chains is calledaddition polymerization, because the process is similar to stringingmany

identical beads on a string. Plastics made by additionpolymerization include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride,and polystyrene.

Joining two or more different monomers of varyinglengths is known as condensation polymerization, because water orother by-products are

eliminated as the polymer forms. Condensationpolymers include nylon (polyamide), polyester, and polyurethane.

Biodegradable plastics are plastics that will decompose in thenatural environment. Biodegradation of plastics can be achieved

byenabling microorganisms in the environment to metabolize themolecular structure of plastic films to produce an inert humus-likematerial

that is less harmful to the environment. Under proper

conditions biodegradable plastics can degrade to the point wheremicroorganisms can metabolise them. This reduces problems with litterand

reduces harmful effects on wildlife. However degradation ofbiodegradable plastic occurs very slowly, if at all, in a sealed landfill.Proper

composting methods are required to efficiently degrade theplastic, which may actually contribute to carbon dioxide emissions.Degradation of

oil-based biodegradable plastics may contribute toglobal warming through the release of previously stored carbon ascarbon dioxide. Starch-

based bioplastics produced from sustainablefarming methods can be almost carbon neutral. Biodegradable plasticscannot be mixed with other

plastics when sent for recycling; thisdamages the recycled plastic and reduces its value.

Cogon grass, Imperata cylindrica (L.), has been ranked as one ofthe ten worst weeds of the world. In tropical and subtropical

regionsaround the globe, this aggressive, rhizomatous perennial is generallyconsidered a pernicious pest plant due to its ability to

successfullydisperse, colonize, spread, and subsequently compete with anddisplace desirable vegetation and disrupt ecosystems over a

widerange of environmental conditions. These characteristics andconsequences of cogon grass infestations are similarly evident evenwithin the

native or endemic range in the Eastern Hemisphere, as ithas long been considered one of Southeast Asia s most noxious weeds

In areas other than closed-canopy forests or plantations, wherecogon grass survives poorly due to shading, and heavily

cultivatedlands, where it is kept in check mechanically, infestations are treatedby relatively costly, laborious, and repetitive control

measures.Currently the most effective management strategies in the UnitedStates have involved integrating mechanical, cultural, chemical,

andrevegetation methods. For both economical and environmentalreasons, the currently recommended control strategies often

areunacceptable, necessitating consideration of some form of classicalbiological control. There are only a few localized benefits of cogongrass.

These include use for thatch, forage, erosion control, papermaking, and bedding material for livestock. There also are minortraditional uses for

human foods and medicines. Silica bodies in theleaves, razor-like leaf margins, relatively low yields, and very lownutritive and energy values

make cogon grass poor forage

It is very important in our daily life because everyday weencounter and use plastics to become our every living easier. So, thisstudy

will improve the quality of biodegradable plastics by means ofscientific process involve in biodegradability test.

Statement of the Problem 1. Can cogon grass be an effective component for ideal biodegradable plastics? 2. Is there a significant difference between an ordinary plastic and a newly improved biodegradable plastics using cogon grass? Significance of the Study

This study will improve the quality of plastics especiallybiodegradable plastics. It will introduce the other important uses ofcogon

grass except for building houses. It will introducebiodegradability testing for biodegradable plastics to compare thequality of plastic between an

ordinary plastic and biodegradable plasticusing cogon grass. Scopes and delimitations

I will only use cogon grass as component of ideal biodegradableplastics. Only biodegradability test will be demonstrated to test

thestrength of the plastic especially biodegradable plastic. Cogon grasswill only be used as a component of plastics and no other materials. Definition of terms

Plastic resin glue it is powdered; urea formaldehyde wood glueactivated by mixing a water into it and it forms a bond stronger thanthe plastic

itself. Catalysts the rate of chemical reaction is increased by means of chemical substance, this process is called catalysis

Biodegradable

is generally an organic material such as plant andanimal matter and other substances that originating from livingorganisms or

artificial materials that are similar enough to plant andanimal matter to be put into used by microorganisms. Biodegradable plastics it is made of plastarch material and polylactide will compost in an industrial compost facility. Biodegradation the process by which organic substances can be broken down by the enzymes produced by living organisms.

Biodegradability test

this test will measure the strength of a plasticdue to exposure to sunlight such as ultra-violet radiation, water

ordampness, bacteria, enzymes, wind abrasion and some instances likerodent pest or insect attack.

Polyester - is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional

group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the

term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to

polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include naturally-

occurring chemicals, such as in the cutin of plant cuticles, as well as

synthetics such as polycarbonate and polybutyrate. Chapter II Review of Related Literature

Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of syntheticor semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the

manufacture ofindustrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecularweight, and may contain other substances to improve

performanceand/or reduce costs. The common word "plastic" should not be

confused with the technical adjective "plastic", which is applied to anymaterial which undergoes a permanent change of shape (a

"plasticdeformation") when strained beyond a certain point. Aluminum, forinstance, is "plastic" in this sense, but not "a plastic" in the

commonsense; while some plastics, in their finished forms, will break beforedeforming and therefore are not "plastic" in the technical sense. Plastics can be classified by their chemical structure, namely themolecular units that make up the polymer's backbone and side chains.Some important groups in these classifications are the acrylics,polyesters, silicones, polyurethanes, and halogenated plastics. Plasticscan also be classified by the chemical process used in their synthesis,e.g. as condensation, polyaddition, cross-linking, etc. Otherclassifications are based on qualities that are relevant formanufacturing or product design. Examples of such classes are thethermoplastic and thermoset, elastomer, structural, biodegradable,electrically conductive, etc. Plastics can also be ranked by variousphysical properties, such as density, tensile strength, glass transitiontemperature, resistance to various chemical products, etc. Due to theirrelatively low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility, andimperviousness to water, plastics are used in an enormous andexpanding range of products, from paper clips to spaceships. Theyhave already displaced many traditional materials such as wood,stone, horn and bone, leather, paper, metal, glass and ceramic in

most of their former uses. The use of plastics is constrained chiefly bytheir organic chemistry, which seriously limits their hardness, density,and

their ability to resist heat, organic solvents, oxidation, and ionizingradiation. In particular, most plastics will melt or decompose whenheated to

a few hundred Celsius. While plastics can be madeelectrically conductive to some extent, they are still no match formetals like copper or

aluminum. Plastics are still too expensive toreplace wood, concrete and ceramic in bulky items like ordinarybuildings, bridges, dams, pavement,

railroad ties, etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic#Biodegradable_plastics The Process of Making Trees into Plastic

In the process of converting trees to cellulose, little is wasted.The bark is removed before pulping and is used as fuel for

theconversion process itself. The tree is chipped and then cooked in adigester to separate cellulose fibers. Lignins and resins produced atthis

stage can also be used for other chemical products or as fuel.

The resulting pulp of alpha cellulose and hemicellulose is treatedwith various bleaching chemicals to reduce the hemicellulose

contentand remove the last traces of lignins and resins. At this stage, the pulpis clean and white. It is pressed to remove water, then dried

andwound onto rolls. This is the high-quality, high-alpha cellulose used to manufacture cellulose esters for plastics. Only the highest-quality pulps are used forTenite cellulosics http://www.eastman.com/Online_Publications/ppc100d/ppc100d02.htm Cogon Grass Cardboard Food Packaging

The feasibility of cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica) as a

substitute for cardboard food packaging was studied in this research

project. The cogon grass was cut, boiled, and crushed in order to get

the pulp. The pulp was then subjected to five different treatments

before it was made into a card board like material. The amount of resin

and other additives was kept constant while the amount of starch was

varied in every treatment. Introduction

Nonbiodegradable waste is a major concern everywhere in the

world. The bulk of the world s waste consists of the hard-to-break-down

products, such as styrofoam. Styrofoam is commonly used as food

containers in fast food restaurants. Because it cannot be recycled, this

particular waste contributes largely to the world s increasing garbage

problem. To lessen this environmental problem, one logical solution is

to use biodegradable materials or recyclable ones. Paper is being

reconsidered and encouraged for use. This material can be recycled

over and over again. However, trees still need to be cut for paper

production. This spells trouble for the already depleted forests.

Because of this, the researchers thought of another alternative. This

alternative uses cogon grass for making the pulp and the paper. Cogon

grass is found abundantly in many places and is sometimes considered

a nuisance. http://www.investigatoryprojectexample.com/science/cogon-grass-asa-substitute-for-cardboard-food-packaging.html

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=plastic&searchmode=n one Chapter III Methodology

Inventions have evolved and continue to evolve such that after several years of study, research and experimentation reach great

developments. With continuing efforts to investigate the constituentsof Philippine plants, the researcher has pursued investigation of

cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica). Cogon grass were gathered, ground and squeezed to extract starch. The grass was obtained by weighing

anddividing into three equal parts; 80 grams in T1, T2 and T3.

Treatments also consisted of 60 ml plastic resin glue and resin with 50 grams of flour catalyst for T1, 100 grams for T2 and 150 grams in T3. The

components in every treatment were mixed, stirred and then poured in silk screen with oil and then sun-dried. Test for capacity to carry weight

indicated T3 as the best. For its ability to hold water, all products passed but for biodegradability, T1 gave the best results. The tensile and

bending properties had been tested using the Universal Testing Machine and Analysis showed that T3 had the greatest tensile strength while T2

had the greatest bending property. Using ANOVA single factor, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) is a collection of statistical models, and their

associated procedures, in which the observed variance is partitioned into components due to different explanatory variables. The initial

techniques of the analysis of variance were developed by the statistician and geneticist R. A. Fisher in the 1920s and 1930s, and is sometimes

known as Fisher's ANOVA or Fisher's analysis of variance, due to the use of Fisher's F-distribution as part of the test of statistical significance,

results showed that there was significant difference among the three treatments in bending and tensile strength. The final phase of the study

determined the effectiveness of cogon grass as component ofbiodegradable plastic. Results confirmed that cogon grass is ideal as tests proved

its worth.