Utilization of Cassava Starch in Copolymerisation of Superabsorbent Polymer Composite (SAPC)

Abstract

Abstract. Cassava starch was used as the main chain in the copolymerization of a superabsorbent polymer composite (SAPC) based on acrylic acid and bentonite. The SAPC was synthesized through graft polymerization using nanosized bentonite as reinforcement. The variables in this experiment were: bentonite concentration, acrylic acid to starch weight ratio, concentration of initiator, and cross linker. The product was characterized using FTIR, SEM and TGA-DSC. The results show that the polymerization reactions involved processes of incorporating starch chains as polymer backbone and grafting acrylic acid monomers onto it. The use of cassava starch in the polymerisation produced a very short reaction time (10-15 minutes), which led to SAPC production with higher efficiency and lower cost. Bentonite interacts with monomers via hydrogen and weak bonding, thus improving the thermal properties of the product. The maximum absorbance capacity obtained was at an acrylic acid to starch weight ratio of 5 and a concentration of initiator, cross linker and bentonite of 0.5, 0.05 and 2 weight percent, respectively. The product is suitable for agricultural and medical applications as well as common superabsorbent polymer applications.

Synthesis of Cassava Starch-Grafted Polyacrylamide Hydrogel by Microwave-Assisted Method for Polymer Flooding

“…A similar observation of the decreased viscosity of polymer solution at various temperatures is found in the literature, such as the viscosity of chitosan-AA-AM polymer that decreased from 350 to 220 cp with increasing temperature from 30 to 90 °C [16]. Starch-g-PAM viscosity decreased from 100 to 60 cp with increasing temperature from 24 to 80 °C [34], further supporting our finding.…”

“…The swelling ratio of CS-g-PAM decreased from the temperature of 25 to 90 °C. The behavior of decreasing swelling ratio of CS-g-PAM in high temperatures can be [31,34].…”

Design and performance evaluation of a superabsorbent polymer‐based dryer for medicinal plants

“…Polygel was prepared by following the protocol described previously (Abidin et al, 2014;Abidin et al, 2011). Initially, cassava starch and distilled water, with a mass ratio of 1:20, were mixed in a four-neck flask equipped with a stirrer, a nitrogen line, and a thermometer.…”

“…The material demonstrates a maximum water absorption capacity of 1,000 g/g in pure water, characterized in the polygel prepared using an acrylic acid to starch ratio of 5:1 (w/w) (Abidin et al, 2014).…”

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“…Kapasitas serapan maksimum diperoleh pada asam akrilik dan pati dengan perbandingan berat 5, cross linker dan bentonit 0,5, 0,05 dan 2 persen berat. Produk ini cocok untuk aplikasi pertanian dan kesehatan serta aplikasi polimer superabsorben umum [2].…”