Modification of cellulose powder surface by grafting of polymers with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution

To modify cellulose powder surface, the grafting of polymers with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution onto the surface by the termination of living polymer cation with amino groups introduced onto cellulose powder surface was investigated. The introduction of amino groups onto cellulose powder surface was achieved by the treatment of cellulose powder with isatoic anhydride. It was found that cellulose powder having amino groups are readily reacted with living poly(2‐methyl‐2‐oxazoline) (polyMeOZO) cation, which was generated by ring‐ opening polymerization with methyl p‐toluenesulfonate as an initiator, and polyMeOZO with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution was grafted onto the surface. By the termination of living poly(isobutyl vinyl ether) (polyIBVE), which was generated by the polymerization with HCl/ZnCl₂ initiating system, with amino groups on cellulose powder, polyIBVE was also grafted onto the surface. The mole number of grafted polymer chain on cellulose powder surfaces decreased with increasing molecular weight of the living polymer cation, because of increasing steric hindrance with increasing molecular weight of living polymer cation. Wettability of cellulose powder surface to water was found to be controlled by grafting of hydrophilic or hydrophobic polymer onto the surface. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 515–522, 2000