Radiation-induced eco-compatible sulfonated starch/acrylic acid graft copolymers for sucrose hydrolysis

Radiation-induced graft-copolymers capable of hosting sulfonic groups and having more effective catalytic activity towards sucrose hydrolysis were prepared. Acrylic acid monomer (AA) was copolymerized with sulfonated starch (SS) at different compositions using ionizing radiation. Swelling behavior of the prepared copolymers at different environmental conditions was studied as well as thermal stability. The hydrolysis of sucrose to glucose and fructose by sulfonated starch/acrylic acid (SS/AA) graft copolymers was investigated. The kinetics of the reaction was determined for various (SS/AA) graft copolymers compositions and at a temperature range of 40–60 °C. The catalytic activity of the copolymers was found to be dependent on the reaction temperature and (SS/AA) graft copolymers compositions, it increases as the reaction temperature and sulfonated starch content (in the feed solution) increases. The obtained results suggest that the prepared SS/AA copolymers could be considered as catalytic reagent for sucrose hydrolysis.