Grafting of dichlorodimethylsilane onto cellulose acetate as a model system in homogeneous media

Homogeneous graft copolymerization of dichlorodimethylsilane (DCDMS) onto cellulose acetate (CA) was carried out in acetone. The weight conversion, grafting percentage and grafting efficiency were determined as functions of the polymerization temperature and the concentrations of monomer and cellulose acetate. The IR and NMR data of the graft copolymers showed peaks characteristic of grafted chains. The order of the solvents used for increasing the grafting yield values was found as follows: cyclohexanone > ethyl acetate > dioxane, which is in accordance with their dielectric constants. Cellulose acetate previously oxidized by treatment with a mixture of oxalic acid and potassium dichromate when grafted with DCDMS gave low grafting yield values. The rate of copolymerization grafting of DCDMS onto CA was determined (R_p = 1.1 %min⁻¹). The activation energy of the reaction between DCDMS and CA was calculated (1.32 kJ mol⁻¹, 0.32 kcal mol⁻¹). The mechanism of graft copolymerization of DCDMS onto CA is discussed.