Vandana Sakhre

Title : Synthesis of bioplastics and their characteristics

Abstract:

There are increasing environmental concerns for plastic (oil-based polymers) in society today, and there has been an effort to introduce more environmentally friendly materials like Starch-based bioplastics because it is obtained from a renewable resource and is relatively cheaper than other biodegradable polymers. This research investigates corn and rice starch use to increase the tensile properties of various bioplastics used for packaging applications. The specific use of rice and corn starch is prompted by the high amounts of amylose polysaccharides found in them compared to other starch sources. The ingredients used were starch or flour, Vinegar, water, and glycerol. These samples were made in 50/50 compositions of either rice or corn starch and the other starches used. The test carried out analyzed the thickness measurements, surface microscopy, water-solubility, water content, tensile strength, and biodegradability of the bioplastic. The results show an increase in the tensile strength of the samples, but water solubility and absorption were also increased. Using blends of rice or corn starch with other starches offers better performance than the conventional bioplastics from one starch source.

Audience Take Away: 

• The audience will be able to know the bio-plastic synthesis techniques.
• They can also be able to understand the various raw materials to make PLA.
• They will be able to know the characterization of bio-PLA.

Biography:

Dr. Vandana Sakhre has over 24 years of experience in teaching, research, and industry, which includes 19 years as an Assistant Professor, 2.5 years of Industrial experience, and 3 years as a Research Fellow of CSIR Labs. While teaching she has developed various labs including Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, and Chemical Reaction Engineering and Process Dynamics & Control labs. The advanced separation and research lab for the M. Tech program was also developed. Currently, Dr. Vandana is working with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai campus as an Associate Professor since 2017. She is handling the chemical engineering department as the Program Coordinator and the coordinator of a student project and research work. She is presently working on the BASF project as an externally funded project and she did a few internally funded research projects. She is dedicated to teaching, learning, and research. Dr. Vandana has worked on AI techniques for the synthesis and control of chemical separation processes, especially Reactive Distillation (RD). She is also engaged in research on sustainability and environmental management.