Water-Soluble Bio-Packaging from Potato Starch

Abstract

This innovation introduces biodegradable and water-soluble packaging material made from processed potato starch. Such material could be processed into pellets, replacing plastic in the current packaging material. The packaging material dissolves within minutes in water to produce harmless residues, easily countering plastic pollution. Reducing reliance on plastic significantly contributes to sustainability efforts. These materials hold important applications mainly in single-use packaging and are highly useful for many applications in food preservation and consumer products. They have no risk to human health or the ecology and are environmentally sustainable with an economically feasible production process.

Specification

Description:FIELD OF INVENTION
[001] This invention falls under the general category of sustainability, biodegradable materials, and packaging. More particularly, it relates to water-soluble packaging materials from organic starch compounds which are environmentally friendly.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
[002] Plastic pollution is a huge environmental issue because conventional plastics lead to massive accumulation in landfills and marine ecosystems. Biodegradable products available from corn starch often require access to industrial composting facilities and have long decomposition times. The invention here is on the potato starch-based packaging material that dissolves quickly in water and minimizes the impact of using plastics in single use.
[003] Prior art in this field includes biodegradable plastics from polylactic acid (PLA) and cornstarch. However, such materials usually leave some microplastic residues behind and do not dissolve fully in water. In that sense, this invention presents a considerable advantage regarding water solubility without raising the demand for specialized disposal systems. As a result, environmental impacts are cut down, and waste disposal is made possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[004] This invention offers a biodegradable, water-soluble packing material synthesized from processed potato starch that can be pelletized and is good for one-time packing applications. Upon contact with water, it will dissolve completely and leave no residues harmful to the environment. Specifically targeted at applications requiring quick and easy disposal, this packaging is particularly suited for food and consumer products. The potato starch is mixed with agar-agar water, glycerol, and calcium carbonate to provide strength, and flexibility and to make it soluble in water. The materials used for these other types of plastics bring positive environmental advantages by decomposing plastic waste into more eco-friendly disposition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS
[005] Figure 1: The figure illustrates the process of creating biodegradable potato starch pellets used for packaging. It shows the various stages involved in transforming raw potato starch into functional pellets. The process starts with combining potato starch powder, agar-agar water, glycerol, and calcium carbonate to form a viscous mixture. This mixture is then extruded at moderate heat (140-160°C) to shape the pellets. Once shaped, the pellets are dried at a low temperature (40-50°C) to remove excess moisture. The resulting pellets are strong, lightweight, and biodegradable, making them ideal for use in single-use packaging applications, providing a sustainable solution for protecting products.
[006] Figure 2: The figure illustrates delicate light bulbs inside a box, symbolizing sensitive items that require effective protection. The light bulbs are surrounded by biodegradable pellets, which serve as a packaging material for protection. The pellets protect the light bulbs from other impacts during handling and delivery. That is, protection combined with sustainability makes pellets a superior packaging material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[007] The biodegradable packaging material begins with potato starch as the base ingredient. Then, a water-soluble binder of agar-agar water is added to improve the texture and consistency of the material. Finally, glycerol is added to the mixture to enhance the flexibility of the material to prevent it from becoming brittle. Calcium carbonate provides additional strength and stability so that it can withstand the conditions applied in use.
[008] Once the mixture is completely prepared, the resulting material gets mixed perfectly so that everything in the mixture gets well homogenized. Then this material gets extruded by moderate heat ranging from 140-160°C in order to soften the whole mixture, thus taking the desired shape. This material once extruded, gets formed into pellets which is the last desired shape of the packing material.
[009] The moulded pellets would be dried at a low temperature of 40-50°C to remove excess moisture. This would ensure the material to solidify, and reach the right consistency. The material would later be subjected to a curing process that would further make the pellets strong and hence more durable.
[010] Finally, it is light-weight with a good tensile strength. It is water-soluble. The material fully dissolves in 5 to 30 minutes with thickness and environmental conditions being the determinants. These materials are intended for applications such as food or product packaging, where they have to be used once. Once the material is dissolved, the resulting non-toxic and organic compounds will be an advantage to the soil thus eliminating the need for intricate disposal methods and minimizing effects on the environment. , C , Claims:[011] 1. A water-soluble, biodegradable packaging material made from processed potato starch, cast into pellets, with added agar-agar water mixture along with glycerol and calcium carbonate to improve flexibility and structural integrity. This material dissolves completely in water within a period of 5 to 30 minutes depending upon the thickness and environmental conditions.
[012] 2. The packaging material is intended for single-use applications such as food packaging or consumer product packaging, which dissolves in water after use, eliminating the need for complex disposal and reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional plastic packaging.
[013] 3. The packaging material, when dissolved in water, degrades into non-toxic organic compounds that are harmless to the environment. These compounds are beneficial to soil health, promoting its enrichment and supporting plant growth. As a result, the material contributes to reduced environmental degradation, leaving no harmful residues and offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic materials.

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