Biodegradable graft copolymers of fenugreek mucilage and polyacrylamide: A renewable reservoir to biomaterials

Polyacrylamide-grafted-fenugreek mucilage (Fen-g-PAM) copolymers were synthesized by grafting acrylamide (AM) onto fenugreek mucilage (Fen) backbone by ceric ion initiated solution polymerization technique under nitrogen atmosphere. A total of 19 copolymer samples were prepared by varying the concentrations of AM and ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN), reaction time and temperature. The variation in reaction parameters affected the percent grafting (PG), grafting efficiency (%GE) and intrinsic viscosity of the copolymer samples. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and viscosity measurements. The prepared copolymers were partially soluble in water and completely soluble in 1 N NaOH aqueous solution. These graft copolymers have also been tested for their biodegradability.