Method for producing antioxidant-rich biodegradable bioplastic from date palm peels

1 . A method of producing bioplastics from date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera ) peels, comprising:

cleaning the date palm peels to provide clean date palm peels;

subjecting the clean date palm peels to size reduction to provide a date palm peel powder;

adding an acid solution to the date palm peel powder to form a bioplastic solution;

agitating the bioplastic solution to provide a uniformly dispersed suspension;

adding a plasticizer to the uniformly dispersed suspension to provide a plasticized suspension; and

heating the plasticized suspension while stirring to provide a gelatinized polymeric material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cleaning the date palm peels can comprise washing the date palm peels with water to remove excess sugars and water-soluble impurities from the date palm peels and then drying the washed date palm peels.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the clean date palm peels to size reduction comprises grinding the date palm peels to provide the date palm peel powder.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid solution comprises 5% acetic acid.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioplastic solution is agitated by stirring at about 300 to about 500 RPM for about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes at room temperature.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizer is glycerol (C 3 H 8 O 3 ).

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein about 0.5 ml of glycerol is added to the uniformly dispersed suspension per gram of date peel powder.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the plasticized suspension comprises heating the plasticized suspension to a temperature ranging from about 80° C. to about 85° C. for about 5 minutes.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising molding the gelatinized polymeric material into a desired shape.

10 . A method of producing bioplastics from date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera ) peels, consisting essentially of:

cleaning the date palm peels to provide clean date palm peels;

subjecting the clean date palm peels to size reduction to provide a date palm peel powder;

adding an acid solution to the date palm peel powder to form a bioplastic solution;

agitating the bioplastic solution to provide a uniformly dispersed suspension;

adding a plasticizer to the uniformly dispersed suspension to provide a plasticized suspension; and

heating the plasticized suspension while stirring to provide a gelatinized polymeric material.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein cleaning the date palm peels comprises washing the date palm peels with water to remove excess sugars and water-soluble impurities from the date palm peels and then drying the washed date palm peels.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein subjecting the clean date palm peels to size reduction comprises grinding the date palm peels to provide the date palm peel powder.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the acid solution comprises 5% acetic acid.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the bioplastic solution is agitated by stirring at about 300 to about 500 RPM for about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes at room temperature.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the plasticizer is glycerol (C 3 H 8 O 3 ).

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein about 0.5 ml of glycerol is added to the uniformly dispersed suspension per gram of date peel powder.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein heating the plasticized suspension comprises heating the plasticized suspension to a temperature ranging from about 80° C. to about 85° C. for about 5 minutes.