Thiourea–potassium bromate redox system‐initiated graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid on nylon 6

Abstract

AbstractThe ability of thiourea–potassium bromate redox system to initiate graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA) onto nylon 6 was investigated under a variety of conditions. With both monomers, increasing potassium bromate concentration up to 20 mmole/l. caused a significant enhancement in the graft yield. Above this concentration, the latter nearly leveled off in the case of MAA and decreased in the case of MMA. The effect of increasing thiourea concentration up to 15 mmole/l. was to bring about an outstanding increase in the graft yield. Above this concentration grafting decreased sharply. The grafting yield increased as the reaction time increased, then leveled off. The rate of reaction is temperature‐dependent. Within the range studied, the rate of grafting follows the order 70 > 60 > 50°C. Nylon samples grafted with MAA showed higher moisture regain than the ungrafted nylon. The increment in moisture regain depends on the percent graft yield.