Temperature-Dependent Etherification of Cassava Starch with CHPTAC for Cationic Starch Production

This research explores utilizing abundant, economical cassava as a raw material for producing cationic starch in Indonesia. Cationic starch was synthesized by etherifying cassava starch with CHPTAC monomer at 50-90°C. Successful cationic modification was confirmed via FTIR and NMR spectra. Characterization revealed the 80°C product exhibited optimal properties: high degree of substitution (0.35) and reaction efficiency (98±1.2%). Its amorphous morphology impacted thermal resistance compared to crystalline forms. This economically viable process uses readily available cassava to produce high-value cationic starch, currently an expensive imported product, demonstrating potential to enhance domestic production and reduce import reliance.