Grafting of polyacrylonitrile in cotton fabrics

Abstract

With a sodium thiosulfate–potassium persulfate redox system, in situ polymerization of acrylonitrile was studied in cellulosic materials. Traces of copper are found to accelerate the rate of polymerization, giving higher yields on the treated materials. Other variables studied were (a) material/liquor ratios, (b) monomer concentrations, and (c) initiator concentrations. It is found that high material/liquor ratios and higher initiator concentrations cause increased polymer yields on cotton fabrics. Fabrics containing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) are resistant to microbial degradation. Acrylonitrile was polymerized in secondary cellulose acetate, mercerized cotton, and cellophane. Studies of the insolubility behavior of the treated cellulose acetate samples in acetone and dimethylformamide, and of mercerized cotton and cellophane in cuprammonium hydroxide, were carried out for the purpose of examining the presence of cellulose‐PAN grafts. In the latter case, a constant ratio of cellulose to PAN was obtained in the cuprammonium hydroxide‐insoluble fraction over a wide range of polymer add‐ons. Alkaline saponification of the nitrile groups in the treated cotton fabrics, followed by a treatment with formaldehyde at pH 9–9.5 and subsequent curing in the presence of an acid catalyst, yield highly crosslinked fabrics which exhibit a considerable improvement in the wet crease recovery with slight loss in tensile and tear strengths. It is believed that these changes are brought about by the formation of a CO · NH · CH2. Ocellulose type of crosslink. These results strongly support the presence of a cellulose‐PAN graft.

Cerium‐initiated grafting of acrylonitrile onto cellulosic materials

“…[12][13][14] However, very few workers have reported detailed results of the effect of cellulose fine structure on rate and extent of graft polymerization with the ceric initiation method.…”

Graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers onto cellulose and modified cellulose by use of metal chelates as initiators

“…'-6 Other initiating systems have also been tried with varying degrees of success. [6][7][8][9] In this communication we report the grafting of methyl methacrylate and styrene onto cellulose and cellulose triacet'ate using ferric acetylacetonate [FeIII(acac)~] and MnI1I(acac)3 as initiating agents.…”

Grafting emulsion polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate onto leather by chemical initiation systems

“…A variety of polymerized monomers grafted onto natural and synthetic polymers have been successfully developed, but grafting by free‐radical polymerization is a widely used method that can be created with a chemical initiation system 1–10…”

“…A variety of polymerized monomers grafted onto natural and synthetic polymers have been successfully developed, but grafting by free-radical polymerization is a widely used method that can be created with a chemical initiation system. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Musina et al 11 found an anomalous effect of a copper and hydrogen peroxide compound in oxidationreduction on the graft polymerization rate of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). The graft polymerization in the presence of an oxidation-reduction system was characterized by a high rate, and the conversion of the monomer occurred without homopolymer formation.…”