Synthesis of Cross-Linked Starch with Acrylic Acid

Abstract

Starch acrylate was synthesized with waxy corn starch consisting of amylopectin, and application of starch was examined by cross-linking reaction of starch acrylate. In the preparation of highly substituted starch acrylate, it was better to conduct acryloylation of starch with acrylic anhydride in pyridine. Cross-linking reaction by polymerization of the highly substituted starch acrylate did not give desired polymer due to steric hindrance of the branched structure in waxy corn starch. However, copolymerization of the highly substituted starch acrylate with acrylic acid produced the desired copolymer. Because the cross-linking moiety in the copolymer was suggested to be composed of polyacrylic acid with low molecular weight, the copolymer may be useful as a law material for biodegradable polymer. On the other hand, such useful cross-linked material was not obtained by copolymerization of the low substituted starch acrylate with acrylic acid.