Solid Phase Graft Copolymerization. Effect of Interfacial Agent

Abstract

Solvents or interfacial agents have been used as media to perform various polymerization reactions. the selection of solvents to provide the appropriate medium for the reaction has opened up a totally new area for research. in the present study, three solvents, viz., toluene, decalin, and tetralin, were investigated in the preparation of polypropylene-maleic anhydride copolymers by solid phase graft copolymerization. the graft level was quantitatively determined by wet chemical methods and qualitative confirmations were made by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was found that toluene and decalin increased the surface area for reaction by swelling the polymer. the graft level increased with an increase in concentration of toluene and decalin. in the case of tetralin, the graft level decreased as the concentration of the solvent in the reactant mixture increased. It was experimentally observed that unlike toluene and decalin, tetralin did not cause swelling of the polymer at the reaction conditions. Therefore, the surface area available for reaction would be less when tetralin is used. Moreover, since tetralin dissolves the polymer rather than causing it to swell, the contact area for the reaction is further diminished by the formation of a monomolecular layer of solvent insulating the monomer from the polypropylene.

Department(s)

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0021-8995

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1990 Wiley, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 1990

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