Study of the reaction of grafting acrylamide onto xanthan gum

► Acrylamide was grafted onto xanthan gum chains. ► The effect of the thermal or the chemical activation on the grafting was studied. ► The type of activator influenced in the speed of reaching the equilibrium reaction. ► The increasing in the persulfate concentration reduced the grafting percentage. ► The copolymers obtained presented intermediary behavior to the parent polymers.