Grafting vinyl monomers onto silk fibers IV. Graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto silk using bromate-thiourea redox system

The use of a bromate-thiourea redox system to initiate graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto silk has been investigated. The rate of grafting has been determined by varying the concentration of bromate ion, monomer, thiourea, the temperature and the solvent. The graft yield increases with increasing the bromate ion concentration up to 20 mmo1/1. With further increase of oxidant the graft yield decreases. The percentage of grafting increases with increase of hydrochloric acid up to 40 mmo1/1. Thereafter it decreases. The effect of increasing thiourea concentration up to 15 mmo1/1. is to bring about an increase in the graft yield. Above this concentration grafting decreases sharply. The rate of grafting increases with increase of temperature. The use of various water soluble solvents effects the percentage of grafting considerably. The alkali solubility of the grafted fiber has been investigated.