Elvi Kustiyah, a doctoral student in the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering program at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), has researched a novel approach to developing lighter and more environmentally friendly rigid plastic packaging. Her dissertation, titled “Modification of Rigid Packaging Based on Aliphatic Olefin Polymers Through Pore Formation Using Chemical Foaming Agents,” was presented during the FTUI doctoral defence on Thursday (8/1) in a hybrid format at the KMT 3 Room, Department of Metallurgy and Materials Building.
This research focuses on reducing the mass of plastic materials without compromising their mechanical strength by utilizing pore formation with Chemical Foaming Agents (CFA) based on azodicarbonamide, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate. The method emphasizes production efficiency while addressing sustainability challenges in the packaging industry.
Elvi began her research by analyzing material compatibility using surface tension tests and morphological characterization using advanced technologies such as Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEMs) and ImageJ. The results demonstrated that endothermic CFAs combined with nucleating agents could create moderate-sized, evenly dispersed pores. This reduced the packaging weight and enhanced structural stability without significantly compromising product quality.
In her study, Elvi highlighted the importance of data-driven approaches and repeated experiments to understand the effects of CFAs on the material’s mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics. This approach resulted in innovations relevant to current industrial challenges, such as material efficiency and plastic waste reduction.
“Through this research, I aim to show that pore-forming technology can be a solution to address material efficiency challenges in the packaging industry. With significant weight reduction, these products are more cost-efficient to produce and more environmentally friendly,” Elvi Kustiyah explained.
Elvi concluded that modifying rigid plastic packaging using Chemical Foaming Agent-based pore formation effectively reduces product weight without diminishing its mechanical quality. The use of endothermic CFAs combined with nucleating agents proved to produce uniformly distributed pores, enhancing material efficiency and reducing production costs. Additionally, this approach can potentially lower the carbon footprint in manufacturing processes, supporting global sustainability agendas.
Acting Dean of FTUI, Prof. Mahmud, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed his appreciation for this achievement. “Elvi’s research not only broadens the understanding of polymer technology applications but also makes a tangible contribution toward creating more efficient and sustainable materials. I hope the industry can adopt this research and inspire the development of more innovative products,” he stated.
Elvi successfully defended her dissertation with honours, earning a GPA of 3.68. She earned her 75th Doctorate in the Department of Metallurgy and Materials and her 580th in the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia. The defense was chaired by Prof. Dr. Ir. Yanuar, M.Eng., M.Sc., with Prof. Dr. Ir. Mochamad Chalid, S.Si., M.Sc.Eng., as her Promoter and Prof. Dr. Ir. Dedi Priadi, DEA., as her Co-Promoter. The examination team included Prof. Dr. Ir. Anne Zulfa Syahrial, M.Sc., Prof. Ir. Warjito, M.Sc., Ph.D., Dr. Asmuwahyu Saptorahardjo, and Adam Febriyanto Nugraha, S.T., Ph.D.
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