Synthesis and Characterization of Graft Copolymers of Acrylic Acid onto Starch

A novel starch-g-poly (acrylic acid) hydrogel was prepared by graft-copolymerization among starch, acrylic acid in aqueous solution with potassium persulfate as an initiator, N, N-methylenebisacrylamide as a crosslinking agent. Characterization of the graft copolymer was carried out by X-ray diffraction, FTIR and SEM analytical methods. Swelling kinetic analysis in distilled water was done to study the swelling behavior of the product. The results show that the product exhibits water absorption of 786g/g in distilled water at ambient temperature. It has been proved that the grafting of acrylic acid onto starch was successful and the aggregation of phase of native starch was changed from semi-crystalline state to amorphous aggregation state due to copolymerization.