Starch carbamate was prepared by reacting maize starch with urea using
solid state technique. The different factors affecting this reaction
were studied. These Factors include urea concentration, type of starch
, reaction and duration. The carbamate extent and carbamation reaction
efficiency (%) were traced by estimating the nitrogen content of the
reaction product. Solubility, viscosity and total ester content of sta
rch carbamate samples were estimated. The carbamate extent increases b
y increasing urea concentration as well as reaction temperature and du
ration. Increasing the reaction temperature and duration has the same
effect on carbamation reaction efficiency (%), while increasing urea c
oncentration do the reverse. The solubility (%) of starch carbamate sa
mples depends on urea concentration, reaction temperature and duration
as well as the type of starch used. The maximum solubility obtained w
as 63% and 43% for starch carbamate derived from pregelled and native
starch, respectively. Tentative mechanism for the reaction between sta
rch and urea has been proposed.