Activation of solid polymer surfaces with bifunctional reagents

Abstract

An original procedure is described which calls upon the heterogeneous grafting of bifunctional molecules onto a reactive polymeric surface, leaving one of the functions available for further exploitation. The principle of this strategy is to use reagents characterised by a rigid planar structure bearing the two active moieties at opposite sites of the molecule. The examples provided include the reactions of lignocellulosic fibres with 1,4-phenyl diisocyanate and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic anhydride, which give rise to their surface activation through the incorporation of covalently bound isocyanate or anhydride functions. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry