Graft Copolymerization of Acrylonitrile onto Banana Cellulose Fiber

Abstract

The graft co-polymerization of acrylonitrile monomer (AN) onto banana cellulose fiber (BCF) was carried out using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN)/oxalic acid (OA) as redox pair in the aqueous nitric acid medium at 90 ºC. The effect of different reaction conditions on the grafting has been studied by determining the grafting parameters, i.e. concentration of acrylonitrile, ceric ammonium nitrate, oxalic acid, nitric acid, reaction time and temperature were carefully optimized to achieve the highest rate of grafting polymerization (RG), highest percent grafting yield (%GY) and grafting efficiency (%GE). All the reagents enhanced the RG%, GY% and %GE, with an increase of concentration up to a certain extent and then found to decline, except for the concentration of nitric acid. The grafting parameters were also increased with time/duration and temperature. The water retention value (WRV) of the grafted co-polymer was also measured. Activation parameters such as energy of activation (Ea), enthalpy change (ΔH), entropy change (ΔS) and free energy change (ΔG) can also be reported by using the Arrhenius plot. The evidence of grafting can also be predicted by the FTIR spectral analysis, moreover, the organic reaction mechanism has been proposed.