Starch Grafting Onto Polymers

I want some development in starch modification in the form of grafting using acrylics, that can be used as Gummed adhesive in my Water Activated Tape. I’m developing a starch-grafted synthetic polymer and need a chemist or materials scientist who can design and validate a chemical grafting route. The end product must deliver noticeably higher tensile strength, better flexibility, and a pronounced wet-tack that activates with water.

Here’s what I already know and need from you:
• Substrate: the starch will be grafted onto conventional synthetic polymers rather than natural fibres or biodegradable plastics.
• Method: chemical grafting is the route I want to pursue—free-radical, coupling agents, maleic-anhydride approaches, peroxide initiators or similar strategies are all acceptable as long as they remain commercially scalable and food-contact safe.
• Performance targets: increased strength, improved flexibility, strong wet-tack on activation, and stable water-activation behaviour after storage.

Deliverables
1. A concise lab-scale procedure (reagents, conditions, reaction scheme, purification steps).
2. Key analytical data confirming the graft (FT-IR, DSC/TGA or GPC—whichever you feel is most convincing).
3. Formulation notes that let me translate the lab protocol to a pilot extruder or reactor, highlighting any critical parameters.
4. Brief recommendations for quality control tests so production teams can check degree of substitution and wet-tack consistency batch-to-batch.

If you’ve already worked with starch grafting or compatibilised blends, please include one short example of the results you achieved. I’m ready to start as soon as I find the right expertise and can respond quickly to technical questions during the project.