Create Plastics from Potatoes, Alternative Energy from Algae

Indonesia Creative Students Have Achievement in International Competition
Create Plastics from Potatoes, Alternative Energy from Algae 


High school students in Jakarta and Denpasar which won the international competition, set aside tens of thousands of participants from 52 countries. 

Competition is a prestigious event called Think Quest International 2011. It is a competition that tests critical thinking skills in dealing with real problems in the world. The competition was held online from September 2010 until mid 2011.

Two teams from Indonesia won the competition, which won first and second. Team won the first prize from SMAN 4 Denpasar, while the team won second prize from SMAN 48 Jakarta. The work team from SMAN 48 exhibited at the Oracle office (organizers of the competition) in the area the Senayan, Jakarta, last Wednesday (13 / 7).

The work was a paper about 10 x 8 cm brown that still looks rough. "This is a paper that is environmentally friendly," said Vilia Yohana, 16.

The team of SMAN 48 Jakarta that six-membered student. When following the competition, they are all class X. Currently they are sitting in class XI. Six members of the team, besides Vilia, is Muhammad Labib Nauvaldi, Ikhsan, Tuwendy, Faisal, and Ben Hadi. The work they carry the project entitled "Making Plastics and Paper become a Friend of the Earth".

They picked the theme because of the increasing number of plastic and paper which meets the earth Moreover, plastic is one thing that can not be unraveled. Well, in their hands, the plastic can be turned into objects that can be unraveled. "We make plastic from potatoes," said Mohammed Labib, then smiled.

He explained, making plastics from potatoes is similar to the manufacture of pulp. Once used as porridge, potatoes were given several chemicals to be plastic. "Our artificial plastic can decompose three years to five years," he added.

The team realized that the price of potatoes is not cheap. But, they believe, the potato is very easy to get and more importantly, is a plastic made from potato is very environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, he did not know exactly how many potatoes it takes needs to be a plastic one.

To be sure, 25 grams of potato starch can be converted into as many as half a glass of mineral water. Of that amount, the amount of plastic that can be generated depending on the length and breadth of plastic.

To what extent and thickness levels also affect the extent of plastic materials. In addition to plastic, the team that made paper from bamboo. Namely, pelepahnya taken from the dried fiber. Then, cooked using a certain chemical liquids, then blend. After that, added to the adhesive before it is printed with a tool similar to screen printing machines.

Once finished, the resulting paper will be brown with a slightly rough texture. However, Joan claimed Vilia can produce a smoother paper if you use real silk-screening tool. "For this project, I do not use the tool to print the paper," he explained.

Although rough, the paper he produced was able to be used as a medium for writing. However, the rough texture can make the user uncomfortable. However, Vilia can still smile because the paper could save the bamboo forests. "If it is mass produced, no need to cut down three trees to make 1 ton of paper," he explained.

Quarter three money by Muhammad Labib. He also did not know for sure how much bamboo needs to make one sheet of paper or 1 ton of paper. The thickness and width of the paper be the deciding factor. "To be sure, the paper from bamboo is stronger," he explained.

The first carved out the best work by a team of SMAN 4 Denpasar. They consist of Indra Genta, Ida Ayu Anom, and Ika Agustini. Their work entitled Sources of Energy from Algae (Seaweed): Creating Added Value. "We did not think could be the best," Genta said. Moreover, it is the first competition that they follow. "First come, we can be the most innovative project," he says with a Balinese accent is thick.

To create these works, Genta acknowledges the process is not easy. They should be able to realize the concept of his project to create alternative energy sources. Therefore, the team then flew from Bali to the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB). The goal, figure out the potential of algae (another name for algae) could be the manufacture of bioethanol. The idea originally came from the lessons they can during school. He said, never read a book that mentioned that the algae can be converted into bioethanol.

Unfortunately, not all understand that the alga is a family-lumutan moss can be a source of energy. The proof, in the initial survey said most of her school friends did not know that the moss-lumutan can be used as an energy source. "We were inspired by the energy crisis and air pollution. Looking ahead, we continue to improve and do the update, "Genta said Indra.

He then describes several steps to make bioethanol from algae is the algae to produce particles evaporate the water present in the algae. Well, when cold, add the yeast which aims to break down carbohydrates into glucose. The next step is to add a bit of grain to aid fermentation. Well, when fermentation is complete, the algae will turn into a liquid similar to wines with alcohol content of 5 percent.

Finally, to produce bioethanol should be added to the enzyme alpha amylase. The success, the team SMAN 4 Denpasar entitled to prize a laptop for USD 1,500 and travel tickets to Oracle's headquarters in San Francisco, United States, and money coaching USD 5,000. "This research will not stop here and we will continue to develop," he said.

Elsewhere, Country Managing Director of Oracle Indonesia Uday Mathkar very proud with the results obtained by a team from Indonesia. Therefore, two teams from Denpasar and Jakarta this can defeat thousands of teams from around the world.