Preparation of starch-poly-glutamic acid graft copolymers by microwave irradiation and the characterization of their properties.

Graft copolymers of waxy maize starch and poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) were produced in an aqueous solution using microwave irradiation. The microwave reaction conditions were optimized with regard to temperature and pH. The temperature of 180°C and pH7.0 were the best reaction conditions resulting in a PGA graft of 0.45% based on nitrogen analysis. The average graft content and graft efficiency for the starch-PGA graft copolymer prepared at 180°C and pH7.0 were 4.20% and 2.73%, respectively. The starch-PGA graft copolymer produced at 180°C and pH7.0 could absorb more than 20 times its own weight amount of water and form a gel. The preliminary rheology study revealed that the starch-PGA graft copolymer gel exhibited viscoelastic solid behavior while the control sample of waxy starch showed viscoelastic liquid behavior.