Robust engineering approach for optimization of electron beam grafting of corn starch

Abstract

An experimental investigation connected with the modification of starch by grafting acrylamide with the application of electron beam irradiation is performed. It is aimed at the synthesis of watersoluble copolymers having flocculation abilities. The acrylamide monomer provides a polar graft side chain which turns it into a hydrophilic copolymer. The effect of the variation of the acrylamide/ starch (AMD/St) weight ratio, the electron beam irradiation dose and the dose rate is investigated. The graft copolymers are characterized by the monomer conversion coefficient (%), the residual monomer concentration (%), the intrinsic viscosity (dL/g) and the Huggins’ constant. Models, estimating the dependencies of the quality characteristics described (their mean values and variances) on the process parameters are derived by implementing the robust engineering methodology for quality improvement. Multi-criteria optimization involving requirements for economic efficiency, assurance of low toxicity, high copolymer efficiency in flocculation process and good solubility in water is also performed