Radiation crosslinking of carboxymethyl starch

Nagasawa, Naotsugu; Yagi, Toshiaki; Kume, Tamikazu; Yoshii, Fumio

A new biodegradable starch derivative hydrogel, carboxymethyl starch (CMS) hydrogel, was synthesized by irradiation in high concentrated solution (in the so-called paste-like condition). The effect of the solution concentration on the crosslinking of CMS, the properties of formed hydrogel and the biodegradability were investigated. The crosslinking of CMS was induced by irradiation at concentration range from 20 to 50 %. 1 g of the dry gel formed from the solution at concentration of 40 % crosslinked at dose of 2 kGy was able to absorb about 500 and 26 g of distilled water and 0.9 % NaCl, respectively. Biodegradation of crosslinked CMS (irradiated in 50 % solution at a dose of 5 kGy) by controlled composting was about 40 % after 2 weeks which was faster than standard cellulose powder. The contribution of crosslinking in CMS was elucidated from crosslinking behaviors of carboxymethyl amylopectin (CMAP) and carboxymethyl amylose (CMA). The crosslinked CMAP (irradiated at a concentration range from 10 to 50 %) reveal higher gel fraction and water-uptake than that of CMA. The amylopectin region in CMS is predominantly responsible for crosslinking of CMS.