Graft Copolymerization of Methylmethacrylate Onto Cellulosic Cotton Fabric: Effects of Preteatments and Monomer Concentration

Abstract

Graft polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) on to enzyme desized, scoured, bleached, and mercerized cellulosic cotton fabric was studied in 0.1M nitric acid using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an initiator. The investigation was carried out to study the possibility of grafting methylmethacrylate on to cellulosic cotton fabric at various stages of processing. Two sets of five different samples were used, four of them passed through the pretreatment stages of desizing (D), desizing and scouring (DS), desizing, scouring and bleaching (DSB), desizing, scouring, bleaching and mercerizing (DSBM) and one was kept as grey (G). The first set of the samples including the grey were grafted with 3.5 ml of MMA and 0.05 M of CAN at 50 °C for 3 hrs. In the second set of samples the graft polymerization was carried out under varying concentrations of monomer, while keeping all other factors constant. The second set has all passed through the final stages of pretreatment (DSBM). The results of FTIR (Infrared spectroscopy), water absorption, dimensional stability, crease recovery properties, tearing strength indicated that there was improvement in the physical and chemical properties of the cellulosic cotton fabric as a result of the graft polymerization. Tearing strength and water absorption of the grafted sample showed considerable decrease. The dimensional stability and crease recovery characteristics of the cotton fabric were generally improved.