Grafting of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide onto silk fibers using the vanadylacetylacetonate complex in aqueous medium

Abstract

The grafting of N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (N,N′-MBA) onto mulberry silk fibers is reported using vanadylacetylacetonate (VO(acac)2) complex under inert atmosphere at 50°C. The effect of various variables like, concentration of N,N′-MBA and VO(acac)2, acidity of the medium and the surfactants on the percentage grafting have been investigated. The higher rate of radical formation has been explained due to the coordination of π-electrons of the N,N′-MBA with the metal chelate which has assisted in the cleavage of MO bond to generate radical easily. A plausible mechanism for graft copolymerization involving cyclization of N,N′-MBA prior to the grafting has been proposed.