The detailed studies on the graft copolymerization of phenyl methacrylate onto gelatinized potato starch in water using potassium persulfate as radical initiator were presented. The different reaction parameters such as effect of initiator concentration, starch to monomer ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time were studied in terms of grafting efficiency, grafting percent and percent homopolymer formation. It was found that grafting process of aromatic methacrylate monomer onto potato starch backbone allowed obtaining new amphiphilic copolymers with different physicochemical properties as compared to non-modified starch. The influence of the copolymer structure on the swelling behavior in polar and non-polar solvents, moisture absorbance, gelatinization properties, acid and base resistance, surface morphology and thermal properties was discussed.
Keywords: Graft copolymerization; Phenyl methacrylate; Physico-chemical properties; Potassium persulfate; Potato starch.
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