title: Effects of monomers and homopolymer contents on the dry and wet tensile properties of starch films grafted with various methacrylates.
abstract: Starch grafted with four different methacrylates was compression molded to form thermoplastic films with good strength and water stability. Starch is an inexpensive and biodegradable polymer but is nonthermoplastic and needs to be chemically modified to make starch suitable for various applications. In this research, starch was grafted with four methacrylates (methyl, ethyl, butyl, and hexyl), and the effect of the length of the alkyl ester group on grafting parameters, thermoplasticity, and properties of thermoplastic films developed have been studied. Influence of grafting conditions on % grafting efficiency, % homopolymers, and % monomer conversion were studied, and the grafted starch was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR). At similar grafting ratios, butyl methacrylate (BMA) provided better strength and elongation to the starch films than the other three methacrylates. Grafting of methacrylates appears to be an economical approach to develop thermoplastic products from starch.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles and Garments, Jiangnan University , Lihu Road #1800, Wuxi 214122, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Narendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Xiuliang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Yiqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008689:Methacrylates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011108:Polymers; D013213:Starch