Chitosan Modified Bio-Fibre Based Board as Antimicrobial and Anti-Crack Board

Bio-based products represent a key component of global bio-economic growth. In the process of forming a bamboo fibre-based bio board in this study begins with the preparation of bamboo fibres to make it compatible as a filling material in polyester polymers. The mixing of bamboo fibre is done by considering the composition of the fibre material with the polymer used, namely polyester at a ratio of 90%:10%, 80%:20% and 70%:30% of the total weight of the mixture. This mixture is added with a natural substance that has been investigated to have resistance to microbial contamination (anti-microbial), chitosan at a ratio of 1%, 3% and 5% by weight of the total mixture of all components. Bio board printing is carried out using a hot press (moulding) tool. The functionality of bio-based and conventional natural fibre-based materials was investigated for a series of bio boards. The tests include tensile, antimicrobial activity and morphological testing using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The overall test results put bio board with a ratio of 70%:30% with the addition of chitosan as much as 5% wt as the best sample with a tensile strength value of 147 Mpa, the flexural value of 0.09 kN. The sample shows a good interface appearance of the bond that occurs between the polymer and the filler under the electron microscope.