Abstract: Casein was grafting modified with caprolactam, acrylonitrile, and acrylic monomers in aqueous medium, and was subsequently transformed to a network structure by introducing a crosslinker. The modified structure and morphology of casein were characterized using Fourier transformed infrared spectrum (FT-IR) and scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The thermal behavior of the modified casein resin were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal stability and water resistance of the casein were considerably enhanced after crosslinking modification. The tensile strength of the material was also improved as a result of modification.

Key words: casein, graft, water-soluble resin, property, structure