Kinetics of graft copolymerization of acrylamide and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate monomer mixture onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers were grafted with acrylamide (AAm) and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) using benzoyl peroxide (Bz₂O₂) as initiator in aqueous media. PET fibers were swelled in dichloroethane (DCE) for 2 h at 90 °C to promote the incorporation and the subsequent polymerization of AAm/HEMA onto PET fibers. Variations of graft yield with time, temperature, initiator concentration and monomer mixture ratio were investigated. The optimum initiator concentration was found to be 10 mmol/L. The maximum graft yield was obtained (prep.) 273%. The optimum temperature and polymerization time were found to be 85 °C and 120 min, respectively. The rate of grafting was found to be proportional of the 1.39 and 0.37 powers of AAm/HEMA and Bz₂O₂ concentrations, respectively. The grafted PET fibers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Further changes in properties of grafted PET fibers such as water absorption capacity and diameter were determined. The dyeability of the PET fibers increased with an increase in grafting with acidic and basic dyes.