Photochemical Grafting of Vinyl Monomers onto Starch

A general study of the UV light-induced grafting of vinyl monomers upon potato starch is reported. A large variety of monomers with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties and of initiators of free radicals was used. The best conditions of the grafting reaction were determined and several parameters were investigated: temperature, oxygen, initiator concentration, additives. Percentage of grafting-time conversion curves, percentage of homopolymer, rate of grafting were obtained. For a given monomer, the most efficient photoinitiator can be selected.