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

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.1981.170190711· OSTI ID:6461500

Henderson, A M; Rudin, A

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), Journal Name: J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed.; (United States) Vol. 19:7; ISSN JPLCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400600* -- Radiation Chemistry
ALCOHOLS
AROMATICS
CARBOHYDRATES
CEREALS
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COPOLYMERIZATION
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ETHANOL
GAMMA RADIATION
GRAFT POLYMERS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LYOPHILIZATION
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
METHANOL
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
POLYSACCHARIDES
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADICALS
RADIOLYSIS
REAGENTS
SACCHARIDES
SCAVENGING
STARCH
STYRENE
SWELLING
WATER
WHEAT