Studies on graft copolymerization onto cellulose derivatives. XXVII. Photo‐induced graft copolymerization onto nitrocellulose

Abstract

AbstractPhoto‐induced graft copolymerization was investigated using nitrocellulose having a different nitrogen content, especially by a noncatalytic method. The effects of a sample nitrogen content, reaction temperature, and monomer, sample, solvent and photosensitizer concentrations on the degree of grafting, the grafting efficiency, and the apparent number of grafted chains were examined. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA) easily polymerized, but acrylamide (AAm), vinyl acetate (VAc), and styrene (St) scarcely polymerized. The apparent activation energies were 4.1–11.5 kcal/mol, indicating the small value in the high nitrogen content sample. The degree of grafting and the apparent number of grafted chains increased with increasing monomer and sample concentrations. In every case, the grafting efficiency was at a high level, above 90%. The polymerization did not occur without the sample in the same condition. Furthermore, a part of nitro groups split off by the irradiation of light. With respect to these results, the mechanisms of the photo graft copolymerization was discussed.