Microwave assisted synthesis and characterization of Sago starch-g-acrylamide.

In the present investigation, sago starch was modified through microwave assisted chemical
synthesis using acrylamide as grafting monomer. Grafted copolymer was characterized by
fourier transform infra red spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray
powder diffractometer (XRD) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). Swelling study was also
performed at various temperatures to access its suitability in diverse industrial application.
The optimum reaction conditions were found as follows: starch, 1 g; acrylamide (AMD), 5 g;
microwave power, 600 W, reaction time, 3 h. Grafting on the starch backbone confirmed by
FTIR spectral analysis, while XRD confirmed formation of more crystalline structure after
AMD grafting. TGA analysis showed formation of more thermostable copolymer after grafting,
while swelling study proved its suitability for various industrial applications due to its
extensive swelling at higher temperatures.