Surface modification by continuous graft copolymerization. IV. Photoinitiated graft copolymerization onto polypropylene fiber surface

Abstract

Abstract Photochemically induced graft copolymerization (with UV light) of acrylamide (AM) and acrylic acid (AA) on polypropylene (PP) fiber surface by the presoaking method under nitrogen atmosphere in a continuous process has been developed. The results are measured by means of ESCA spectra. In grafting AM and AA, the relative intensity N 1s /C 1s and O 1s /C 1s of the fiber increase from 3–5 and 20% (background) to 8–13 and 23–39% in 9–10 s irradiation time, respectively. Titration results show that 1.75 3.58 mg/m 2 poly(acrylic acid) has been grafted on the surface of PP fiber at various monomer concentrations of the presoaking solution. Commercial additives, such as antioxidant and UV stabilizer, affect the grafting yield of the fiber. As solvent in the presoaking solution, acetone is better than MEK and MPK. Various monomer and initiator concentrations in the presoaking solution have been studied. In the process developed 0.5–0.8 M acrylamide or 1.5–2.0 M acrylic acid and 0.2 M benzophenone (BP) in the presoaking solution are approapriate.