AbstractGraft copolymerization of ethyl acrylate onto starch initiated by ceric ion in an aqueous medium was studied at 29°C. It was found that the grafting frequencies and molecular weights of grafted poly(ethyl acrylate) changed from 2 graft polymer molecules per 104anhydroglucose units (AGU) and 3.03 · 105to 34 and 6.80 · 105, respectively, when the starch content was varied from 1.0 wt.‐% to 0.2 wt.‐%. The influence of dilution of ceric ion on the extent and rate of graft polymerization of ethyl acrylate onto starch was also ex