Studies in the graft copolymerization of acrylonitrile onto cassava starch by ceric ion induced initiation

Graft copolymers of starch and acrylonitrile were synthesized in aqueous solution. Ceric ammonium ion was used to initiate the graft copolymerization. Ten grades of graft copolymers were synthesized- five by varying the initial concentration of the monomer and the other five by varying the initial concentration of the initiator. Evidence of graft copolymerization of the hydrolyzed products was obtained from the IR analyses. Some grafting parameters such as % grafting ratio and % conversion were favoured by initial increase in the monomer concentration. However, these parameters were observed to decrease at much higher concentrations (>3 M). Evidence of hydrolysis shows that the grafted copolymers could be used as flocculants. Key words: Acrylonitrile, homopolymer, grafting initiator, starch.