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Title: Effects of water, methanol, and ethanol on the production of starch-g-polystyrene copolymers by cobalt-60 irradiation

Journal Article · · J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed.; (United States)

Starch-g-polystyrene copolymers were made by simultaneous /sup 60/Co irradiation of mixtures of wheat starch and styrene at room temperature. The extent of conversion of monomer to polymer is increased drastically with increasing water content up to a level of about 26 wt % on starch. Methanol had approximately the same effect as water at equivalent concentrations but ethanol was clearly less effective as a promoter of homo- and graft copolymerizations. Drying the starch reduced the conversion to polymer with all promoters but caused the greatest deterioration in the ability of ethanol to promote polymerization. The effects of physically swelling the starch by freeze drying the gelatinized material were also studied, as were preirradiation graft copolymerizations. The effects of promoters on graft polymerization parallel their abilities to scavenge stable radicals in irradiated starch. Water and methanol are better radical scavengers and polymerization promoters because they are better able to disrupt hydrogen bonds and permeate the starch structure. Radiolysis of the promoter is important in the grafting reaction.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario
OSTI ID:
6461500
Journal Information:
J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed.; (United States), Vol. 19:7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English