Abstract
Graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto silk was easily achieved by applying an aqueous Cu(II) - H2O2 initiator system. For example, a solution mixture of 10ml of H2O, and each 2ml of 10-2M Cu(II), 10-1M H2O2 and 1ml of MMA was used. Effects of the concentrations of cupric salt, monomer, and hydrogen peroxide, and effects of the time and temperature of polymerization, and other conditions of the reaction were studied. The results obtained were as follows: (1) the yield of total polymer increases with increase of time and temperature of polymerization, (2) in an optimal condition examined, the rate of grafting is levelled off at 30 min., (3) the graft-on and the corresponding graft efficiency increase with increase in the temperature to a maximum level of grafting at 70°C, (4) total polymer-yield and the weight increase are approximately proportional to the concentration of monomer while the extent of grafting and graft efficiency have maximum values at the concentration of 1ml of MMA, (5) the weight increase and total conversion increase sharply with increase in the concentrations of H2O2 and Cu(II), and (6) none or little grafting occurs under atomospheric conditions.
