Starch Graft Polymers. III. Preparation of Graft Polymers Containing Acrylamide, Acrylic Acid and β‐Methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium Monomethyl Sulfate and Evaluation as Flocculants for Bauxite Ore Red Mud Suspensions

Graft co‐ and terpolymers of starch and the vinyl monomers acrylamide (I), acrylic acid (II), acrylonitrile (III) and β‐methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium monomethyl sulfate (IV) were prepared and evaluated as flocculants for bauxite ore red mud suspensions. Starch‐poly (III) was base hydrolyzed to starch poly (I, II) before evaluation. Products containing poly (I), (II), and (IV) were prepared by γ‐radiation induced grafting while that containing poly (III) was prepared by ceric (Ce +14 ) ion initiated grafting. Preparation, characterization and evaluation procedures are presented together with results illustrating that starch poly (II) containing 38% poly (II) is an effective flocculant for domestic bauxite ore red mud suspensions.