Butyl acrylate grafted starch (St-g-BA) was made by the method of microwave-assisted synthesis, involving the combination of microwave irradiation and a chemical free radical initiator (H2O2-Fe2+) to initiate the grafting reaction. The optimal conditions for the graft copolymerization with respect to reaction microwave power, exposure time and type of initiator were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the percent grafting and grafting efficiency were 26.2% and 85.9%, respectively. The grafted starch was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The St-g-BA exhibited good tensile strength, elongation at break and abrasion resistance. Therefore, it is suggested this biomaterial could be used in various industrial applications such as textile sizing and food packaging.

Keywords: microwave irradiation; graft; starch; butyl acrylate; textile sizing