Synthesis of Cross-linked Breadfruit Starch (Artocarpus communis) using Epichlorohydrin

: Synthesis of cross-linked starch has been successfully carried out by crosslinking reaction between breadfruit starch ( Artocarpus communis ) and epichlorohydrin with variation of epichlorohydrin 1%; 2%; and 3 %. The result of cross-linked starch was characterized by FT-IR spectrophotometer and the degree of Substitution (DS). The formation of cross-linked starch was confirmed by FT-IR spectra data with the appearance of stretching vibrational of C-O-C at 1018.41-1242.16 cm -1 . The value of DS for variations of epichlorohydrin 1%; 2%; 3% are 0.0552; 0.0701; 0.0613, respectively. The cross-linked starch with variation 2% of epichlorohydrin has the highest DS and then it was characterized using SEM and determined the swelling degree. The results of the swelling degree test with a variation of absorption time of 6 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours, 72 hours were 0.9925%, 1.4611%, 1.8054%, 2.0049%, 3.0124%, respectively.