Surface grafting of styrene on polypropylene by argon plasma and its adsorption and regeneration of BTX

Abstract

ABSTRACTActive macromolecular free radicals were generated on polypropylene (PP) fiber surfaces by argon plasma irradiation, and surface‐modified PP fibers (PP‐g‐St fibers) were prepared by in situ grafting reaction of styrene monomers (St). The prepared samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, NMR, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Effects of reaction parameters on grafting percentage were studied, and adsorption capacities of PP‐g‐St fibers for benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) were evaluated. Regeneration adsorption efficiencies after adsorption of pure BTX and BTX emulsion and solution in water were explored. The results indicated that, using pure St as the monomer, the optimum input power, irradiation time, and grafting reaction time are 90 W, 3 min, and 3 h, respectively, and the grafting percentage of St reached 5.7% when pure St was used. The characterization results demonstrated that St was grafted onto the surface of the PP fibers. Compared to pristine PP fibers, the adsorption capacities of PP‐g‐St fibers toward toluene and xylene emulsions and solutions in water increased. In addition, regeneration adsorption efficiencies of modified fibers remained >90% after six cycles of regeneration adsorption experiments, which showed excellent regeneration ability. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46171.