Abstract:
In this study, an environmentally friendly, renewable latex-based bio-adhesive was synthesized by
blending Euphorbia tirucalli (Kinchib) latex with cassava peel starch (CPS) as filler. The
extracted latex from the Euphorbia tirucalli (ET) branch pH value, density, total solid content,
and the functional group were characterized. Similarly, the starch extracted from cassava peel
(CP) was characterized for its pH value, density, moisture content, and crystallite size. Thus, the
result demonstrated that a pH value of 6.67±0.05 and 5.6±0.05 was recorded for ETL and CPS
respectively. The density of ET was found as 0.967 gm/ml and 0.9758 gm/ml for CPS. The total
solid content of ET was found 33.4±0.05%. The FTIR analysis revealed that various chemical
groups and bands such as alkanes, amide, proteins, carbohydrates, aromatic, and halogen
compounds are present in the ETL. The CPS crystallinity was discovered to be 6.468 nm. Besides
the influence of latex concentration, CPS filler concentration, and mixing time on the viscosity and
lab shear strength of the synthesized bio-adhesive was studied using central composite design
(CCD). As a result, 35% latex concentration, 27,13% CPS concentration, and a mixing time of
44.9 minutes were found to be the predicted optimal conditions for viscosity and lab shear strength.
An actual validation experiment of bio-adhesive was carried out to confirm the degree of accuracy
of the predicted optimal conditions. Hence, the viscosity of 641±0.2 mPa.s and lab shear strength
of 3.48±0.05 MPa were found with 98.9% and 97.47 % of accuracy respectively. Furthermore, the
physio- mechanical property of the optimized bio-adhesive product was characterized for its pH,
total solid content, viscosity, and lab shear strength. As a result, a pH value of 7.56 and total solid
content of 47.3% were found. The finding of the study shows that ETL and CP are explored as
promising alternative feedstock for the commercial production of bio-adhesive.
