Abstract
AbstractA novel redox system, tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)–silk sericin (SS), was used to initiate the graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) onto silk sericin in an aqueous medium. The graft copolymer, consisting of nanoparticles with a fine core–shell structure, was characterized using Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy. The effects of the concentrations of MA and TBHP, reaction temperature and time on the grafting parameters of the copolymerization were studied in detail. In terms of grafting percentage and grafting efficiency, the optimum reaction conditions were obtained as follows: [MA] = 0.465 mol L−1, [TBHP] = 3.884 × 10−4 mol L−1, T = 80 °C, t = 150 min. Transmission electron microscopy images of the particles showed a core–shell morphology, where poly(methyl acrylate) cores were covered with SS shells. A possible initiation mechanism is proposed. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
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