Methyl Acrylate Copolymers Research Articles

Highly flexible EMA/Fe3O4@g-C3N4 composite for thermal control and EMI shielding application

Developing advanced EMI shielding materials, possessing robust mechanical properties, and exhibiting efficient thermal conductivity is challenging for contemporary electronic devices. This study involved creating a robust and adaptable polymer composite by combining an EMA (Ethylene Methyl Acrylate Copolymer) polymer matrix with Fe3O4@g-C3N4 (iron oxide decorated on Graphitic carbon nitride) filler utilising a solvent mixing approach. The material showed exceptional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, beneficial thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength. Morphological analysis indicates that the Fe3O4@g-C3N4 particles are evenly dispersed inside the EMA matrix, facilitating a compact spatial network all over the matrix to enable electron hopping. The composites, consisting of Fe3O4@g-C3N4 (15 wt%) conductive filler, demonstrated a notable increase in electrical conductivity, reaching 10−2 S/cm, and an effective EMI SE of −32.4 dB. Additionally, the composite showed a thermal conductivity of 1.3 W.m−1. K−1 and outstanding mechanical strength. The synthesized polymer composite shows great potential for EMI shielding and is well-suited for wearing smart devices.

Phosphorus-Based Flame-Retardant Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Copolymer with Enhanced Mechanical Properties by Combining Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Silicone Rubber and Ethylene Methyl Acrylate Copolymer.

The present work proposes to investigate the effect of an ultrahigh molecular weight silicone rubber (UHMW-SR) and two ethylene methyl acrylate copolymers (EMA) with different methyl acrylate (MA) content on the mechanical and fire performance of a fireproof acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) composite, with an optimum amount of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and aluminum diethyl phosphinate (AlPi). ABS formulations with a global flame retardant weight content of 20 wt.% (ABS P) were melt-compounded, with and without EMA and UHMW-SR, in a Brabender mixer. During this batch process, ABS P formulations with UHMW-SR and/or EMA registered lower torque values than those of ABS P. By means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was possible to observe that all ABS composites exhibited a homogenous structure without phase separation or particle agglomeration. Slightly improved interfacial interaction between the well-dispersed flame-retardant particles in the presence of EMA and/or UHMW-SR was also noticed. Furthermore, synergies in mechanical properties by adding both EMA and UHMW-SR into ABS P were ascertained. An enhancement of molecular mobility that contributed to the softening of ABS P was observed under dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). An improvement of its flexibility, ductility and toughness were also registered under three-point-bending trials, and even more remarkable synergies were noticed in Charpy notched impact strength. Particularly, a 212% increase was achieved when 5 wt.% of EMA with 29 wt.% of MA and 2 wt.% of UHMW-SR in ABS P (ABS E29 S P) were added. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the presence of EMA copolymers in ABS P formulations did not interfere with its thermal decomposition, whereas UHMW-SR presence decreased its thermal stability at the beginning of the decomposition. Although the addition of EMA or UHMW-SR, as well as the combination of both in ABS P increased the pHRR in cone calorimetry, UL 94 V-0 classification was maintained for all flame-retarded ABS composites. In addition, through SEM analysis of cone calorimetry sample residue, a more cohesive surface char layer, with Si-O-C network formation confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), was shown in ABS P formulations with UHMW-SR.

Block Copolymers of Polyolefins with Polyacrylates: Analyzing and Improving the Blocking Efficiencies Using MILRad/ATRP Approach.

Despite their industrial ubiquity, polyolefin-polyacrylate block copolymers are challenging to synthesize due to the distinct polymerization pathways necessary for respective blocks. This study utilizes MILRad, metal-organic insertion light-initiated radical polymerization, to synthesize polyolefin-b-poly(methyl acrylate) copolymer by combining palladium-catalyzed insertion-coordination polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Brookhart-type Pd complexes used for the living polymerization of olefins are homolytically cleaved by blue-light irradiation, generating polyolefin-based macroradicals, which are trapped with functional nitroxide derivatives forming ATRP macroinitiators. ATRP in the presence of Cu(0), that is, supplemental activators and reducing agents , is used to polymerize methyl acrylate. An increase in the functionalization efficiency of up to 71% is demonstrated in this study by modifying the light source and optimizing the radical trapping condition. Regardless of the radical trapping efficiency, essentially quantitative chain extension of polyolefin-Br macroinitiator with acrylates is consistently demonstrated, indicating successful second block formation.

Achieving high molecular weight alternating copolymers of 1-octene with methyl acrylate via Lewis acid catalyzed copolymerization.

The radical (co)polymerization of long-chain α-olefins (C4+) to produce high molecular weight (Mw) polymers is of great importance. However, this process is currently faced with significant challenges due to the presence of less reactive allylic radicals during radical (co)polymerization, leading to oligomers or polymers with extremely low Mw (less than 1 × 104 g mol-1). Using copolymerization of 1-octene with methyl acrylate (MA) as a proof-of-concept for addressing this challenge, we present a feasible method for synthesizing high Mw α-olefin copolymers via scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate (Sc(OTf)3)-mediated radical copolymerization. In this case, copolymers of 1-octene and MA (poly(1-octene-alt-MA)) with a Mw exceeding 3 × 104 g mol-1 were successfully synthesized in the presence of Sc(OTf)3. Meanwhile, the presence of alternating 1-octene-MA sequential structures was observed. To further enhance the Mw of poly(1-octene-alt-MA), a difunctional comonomer, 1,7-octadiene, was introduced to copolymerize with 1-octene and MA. The results indicate that the incorporation of difunctional comonomer leads to a significant increase in the Mw of the copolymers synthesized. The addition of 1 mol% of 1,7-octadiene resulted in a copolymer with a remarkably high Mw of up to 13.45 × 104 g mol-1 while still maintaining a high degree of the alternating 1-octene-MA sequence (41%). The influence of polymerization parameters on the molecular weight were also investigated. Increasing the monomer concentration, reducing the dosage of initiator, and lowering the polymerization temperature have been found to be advantageous in enhancing the molecular weight. This approach has also been successfully applied to the synthesis of high molecular weight alternating copolymers of other long-chain α-olefins, including 1-hexene, 1-decene and 1-tetradecane, with methyl acrylate. In summary, this study provides a feasible method for converting "less activated" α-olefins into high Mw olefin copolymers. This approach holds significant potential for the production of value-added polyolefins, thus offering promising prospects for future applications.

PH-Sensitive Acrylic Terpolymers for the Coating of Orally Administered Drugs Used for Colonic Release.

Polymeric coatings are a promising option for the development of delivery systems for orally administered drugs. However, the gastrointestinal conditions to which they are subjected, which include low pH and solubility as well as peristaltic movements, can limit their applications. In this work, different formulations of polymeric coatings were produced using pH-sensitive materials consisting of copolymers of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid. The polymers were synthesized by the emulsion polymerization technique, obtaining small average particle sizes (56-190 nm), molecular weights between 200,000 and 400,000 g/mol, and a glass transition temperature above 35 °C, which are suitable for film formation at room temperature. Thus, they were assessed as coatings for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsules (HPMC) using the immersion method, showing adequate capacity to protect the capsule at gastric pH (pH 1.2) and dissolve at the simulated intestinal pH (pH= 7.2). In particular, the higher the content of the acidic monomer, the higher the release time of the test molecule contained in the acrylic terpolymer-coated HPMC capsules proposed, which was a curcuminoid derivative due to their bright color and potential medical benefits. In addition, a minimum number of immersions was required for coating the HPMC capsules at high acidic concentrations, which further facilitates the delayed release needed for colonic treatment. However, too high proportions of methacrylic acid may result in cytotoxicity issues. Consequently, a biocompatible formulation containing a proportion of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid of 7:3:3 is proposed as the most adequate for colonic release. Thus, by chemically modulating the molar percentages of the acrylic monomers, it was possible to obtain tailored acrylic terpolymer coatings with different characteristics and desired properties in order to modulate the release kinetics of an active substance in a colonic environment.

Synthesis of acrylic resin and methacrylic resin microspheres by suspension polymerization.

The process of suspension polymerization was utilized to create acrylate resin microspheres with mesh numbers of 140-200μm and particle sizes of 100μm for implementation in mesh coating technology. The copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA) served as the primary polymer, with dibenzoyl peroxide (DBPO) functioning as the initiator, and a mixture of calcium carbonate and deionized water served as the dispersion medium. The surface morphology of the synthesized microspheres was analyzed through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to confirm successful synthesis. The optimal reaction conditions for the synthesis of these microspheres were determined to be a dispersant dosage of 30g of calcium carbonate with a monomer ratio of 4:1, a reaction time of 1h, an initiator dosage of 1.2g of BPO, and a reaction temperature of approximately 75-80C, resulting in microspheres with a regular spherical shape and smooth surface.

Degradation behavior of multilayer packaging films in the presence of a highly acidic sauce

Highly acidic condiments such as hot sauce can deteriorate multilayer packaging films. To date, only a multilayer polymeric film (polyethylene terephthalate/ink/polyethylene/foil/polyethylene/SiO x coated polyethylene terephthalate/adhesives/Barex®) utilizing a proprietary resin, Barex® as one of its polymeric layers can preserve hot sauce for military rations. However, the production of Barex® stopped in 2016. To identify substitutes for Barex®, an immersion study of films in hot sauce was conducted with several commercially available multilayer films (Polyethylene terephthalate/ink/adhesive/polyamide/adhesive/polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate/waste low-density polyethylene/aluminum foil/adhesive/polyester/low-density polyethylene) and a monolayer Barex® (acrylonitrile methyl acrylate copolymer) film. All films were immersed in hot sauce, acetic acid, and sodium chloride solutions at 50 °C for 12 weeks. The mass, thickness, morphology, and chemical compositions of each film were analyzed every three weeks. Hot sauce and acetic acid solution similarly deteriorated multilayer films, causing delamination and oxidative degradation, but not sodium chloride solutions. This indicates that the failure of the multilayer packaging of hot sauce was likely caused by the low pH environment, not heat or salt ions. The two primary innovations in this study are: 1) the finding that acidic components in hot sauce deteriorate multilayer packaging by transforming aluminum foil into a soluble salt and by oxidizing polyethylene, and 2) surface erosion plays a significant role in inducing polyethylene oxidation. This is the first study to describe how a highly acidic food deteriorates multilayer packaging used for military rations. Possible deterioration mechanism of the multilayered structure (Film 2) in presence of a highly acidic hot sauce. • Acetic acid in hot sauce reacts with aluminum foil used in multilayer films. • Acids in hot sauce oxidatively degrade polyethylene (PE) layers in multilayer films. • PE in multilayer films oxidizes more in hot sauce than in acetic acid solutions. • PE in multilayer films surface erodes when immersed in hot sauce and acetic acid. • Potential multilayer film is identified for replacing Barex® for military rations.

Effect of compatibilizers on polyethylene‐eucalyptus lignin blends

AbstractEucalyptus Kraft lignin was blended in various proportions with two different types of polyethylene (PE) (low‐density polyethylene and post‐consumer recycled [PCR]), with or without compatibilizer (PE‐glycidyl methacrylate [GMA] or PE‐2‐hydroxyethyl methyl acrylate copolymers). Materials prepared by injection molding or extrusion casting were characterized for their thermal, antioxidant, antibacterial and mechanical properties. In addition, the photo‐permeability was assessed, as this property is specifically relevant to mulching applications. The use of compatibilizers enhanced the antioxidant properties which reached more than 3 h oxidation induction time when lignin was present at 20 wt% and beyond. Good antibacterial properties were obtained on Gram‐positive bacteria when using PE‐GMA as compatibilizer. The photo‐permeability of the materials was also reduced, reaching a transmittance lower than 5% throughout the whole measurement range (200–800 nm) in PCR. However, higher lignin contents led to a more brittle material and the overall processability of the material became more difficult, features that were not improved by compatibilizers. These materials are promising candidates for mulching film application, especially with PCR which still lacks high‐volume market applications.

Synthesis of block copolymer of vinyl acetate and methyl acrylate by cobalt-mediated radical polymerization in a packed column system: simultaneous control of molecular weight, separation, and purification

Synthesis of block copolymer of vinyl acetate and methyl acrylate by cobalt-mediated radical polymerization in a packed column system: simultaneous control of molecular weight, separation, and purification

Unsymmetrical Strategy on α-Diimine Nickel and Palladium Mediated Ethylene (Co)Polymerizations.

Among various catalyst design strategies used in the α-diimine nickel(II) and palladium(II) catalyst systems, the unsymmetrical strategy is an effective and widely utilized method. In this contribution, unsymmetrical nickel and palladium α-diimine catalysts (Ipty/iPr-Ni and Ipty/iPr-Pd) derived from the dibenzobarrelene backbone were constructed via the combination of pentiptycenyl and diisopropylphenyl substituents, and investigated toward ethylene (co)polymerization. Both of these catalysts were capable of polymerizing ethylene in a broad temperature range of 0-120 °C, in which Ipty/iPr-Ni could maintain activity in the level of 106 g mol-1 h-1 even at 120 °C. The branching densities of polyethylenes generated by both nickel and palladium catalysts could be modulated by the reaction temperature. Compared with symmetrical Ipty-Ni and iPr-Ni, Ipty/iPr-Ni exhibited the highest activity, the highest polymer molecular weight, and the lowest branching density. In addition, Ipty/iPr-Pd could produce copolymers of ethylene and methyl acrylate, with the polar monomer incorporating both on the main chain and the terminal of branches. Remarkably, the ratio of the in-chain and end-chain polar monomer incorporations could be modulated by varying the temperature.

Stimuli-Responsive Star Polymer as an Admixture for Crystallization of Hollow Crystals.

Polymers are becoming a very popular tool in the crystallization of different compounds. In this work, a new method of crystallization is proposed using stimuli-responsive star polymer in order to obtain hollow structure crystals. In these experiments, amphiphilic copolymer of acrylic acid (AA) and methyl acrylate (MA) were used for isohydric crystallization via they cooling of KCl in deionized water solution. The experiments were realized in quartz cuvette with a magnetic stirrer using a specialized spectrometer with precise temperature control. The crystallization course was monitored by the absorbance readings and analysis of the nucleation energetic effect. It was proved that the moment of the polymer's phase transition occurrence had an important role in the crystal growth process. On the other hand, the occurrence of phase transition did not trigger the nucleation. The supercoolings achieved in the presence of the polymer were significantly higher compared to pure salt crystallization. On the basis of analysis of Particle Size Distribution (PSD) and Critical Aggregation Concentration (CAC) of the polymer, it was proposed that the hydrophobic particles of macromolecules created from polymeric aggregates served as templates for the formation of hollow crystals. Their purity was verified using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 1H NMR, and XRD. Only trace amounts of polymer were found in the crystalline product.

Study of the influence of the parameters of preparation of polymeric solutions obtaining nanofibers by electrospinning

The technique of electrospinning polymeric nanofibers has been emerging in the academic environment due to its well-parias and low operational, but the production of these nanofibers finds challenges regarding homogeneity and reproduction of obtained results. As properties of polymeric solutions are important for the determination of electrospinning parameters, such as the applied electrical voltage and injection rate. Seeking rheological behavior of polymeric solutions; which may be affected by the concentration of the polymeric solution and the preparation temperature of these solutions. This way this work studied the effect of the production temperature of polyacrylonitrile and methyl acrylate copolymer solutions and related them to the nanofibers produced at the same injection rates and electrical stresses. It was observed the inversely proportional behavior between the temperature of preparation of the solutions and the viscosity of the solutions at room temperature, which reflects in the integrity and homogeneity of the fibers formed, with the formation of pearls in the nanofibers produced to more viscous solutions.

Polymeric α-diimine palladium catalysts for olefin (co)polymerization

In this contribution, a series of α-diimine palladium complexes with two vinyl units were designed and synthesized. Tandem ring opening metathesis polymerization/cross metathesis of cycloolefins in the presence of these complexes as chain-transfer agents resulted in a series of well-defined polymeric α-diimine Pd catalysts with improved catalytic performances. These polymeric Pd complexes can catalyze polymerization of ethylene and result in increased molecular weight of polyethylene products compared with their molecular analogues. In the polymerization of 1-hexene, the polymeric catalysts led to less isomerization, resulting in increased conversions of 1-hexene and higher molecular weights. Moreover, polymeric palladium catalysts show improved tolerance to polar comonomers, leading to higher activities as well as higher molecular weights in ethylene–methyl acrylate copolymerization. Most importantly, tuning of catalyst performance can be achieved by varying the structure or amount of cyclic monomer used in the preparation of these well-defined polymeric catalysts starting from the simple homogeneous platform.

Multi-responsiveness N-vinylpyrrolidone and methyl acrylate copolymer with wide tunable range of response temperature

• The LCST of the P(NVP-co-MA) copolymer can vary from 17 °C to 90 °C, showing a wide tunable range. • The P(NVP-co-MA) copolymer is temperature-responsive, salt-responsive, and pH-responsive. • The P(NVP-co-MA) copolymer is both biocompatible and multi-responsive. Copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) and methyl acrylate (MA) were prepared via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, which exhibited typical lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior in aqueous solution. The molecular structure and composition of copolymer P(NVP-co-MA) were characterized by FTIR and NMR. The response behavior was investigated by UV transmittance tests. The LCST of the copolymer P(NVP-co-MA) can vary from 17 °C to 90 °C by adjusting the ratio of the two monomers, showing a wide tunable range. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) results showed that beyond LCST, the hydrodynamic size increased with increasing temperature, polymer molecular chains aggregated in solution, and solubility deteriorated, confirming its LCST responsiveness. In addition, the copolymer P(NVP-co-MA) is salt responsive as well as pH-responsive. The multi-responsive and biocompatible copolymer has a large potential application in the fields of materials and biomedicine.

Measurement and Modeling of N‐tert‐butyl Acrylamide Radical Homo‐ and Copolymerization with Methyl Acrylate in Ethanol/Water

AbstractThe radical homopolymerization of N‐tert‐butyl acrylamide (t‐BuAAm) and its copolymerization with methyl acrylate (MA) is studied in ethanol/water solutions over a range of initial monomer and initiator levels between 50 and 70 °C. While short‐chain branching for poly(t‐BuAAm) samples could not be detected by 13C NMR, the reduced rate of monomer conversion with lowered monomer content indicates the formation of mid‐chain radicals (MCR) by backbiting. Adding water as a cosolvent to ethanol significantly increases reaction rates, in agreement with recent pulsed‐laser studies that quantify the influence of solvent composition on homopropagation kinetics. However, the measured drifts in comonomer composition with conversion are well represented by a single pair of reactivity ratios (rMA = 1.12 ± 0.01, rt‐BuAAm = 0.71 ± 0.01) over the complete range of experimental conditions. A mechanistic model developed to describe t‐BuAAm homopolymerization is extended to capture the impact of reaction operating conditions (monomer content and composition, solvent composition, initiator content, and temperature) on the features of t‐BuAAm/MA copolymerization, thus providing a tool for product and process optimization. The model structure can be used to support the development of other acrylate/acrylamide systems as part of the continued efforts to utilize “green” solvents to reduce the environmental impacts of polymerization processes.

Microstructure Analysis of Drawing Effect and Mechanical Properties of Polyacrylonitrile Precursor Fiber According to Molecular Weight.

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber is the most widely used carbon fiber precursor, and methyl acrylate (MA) copolymer is widely used for research and commercial purposes. The properties of P (AN-MA) fibers improve increasingly as the molecular weight increases, but high-molecular-weight materials have some limitations with respect to the manufacturing process. In this study, P (AN-MA) precursor fibers of different molecular weights were prepared and analyzed to identify an efficient carbon fiber precursor manufacturing process. The effects of the molecular weight of P (AN-MA) on its crystallinity and void structure were examined, and precursor fiber content and process optimizations with respect to molecular weight were conducted. The mechanical properties of high-molecular-weight P (AN-MA) were good, but the internal structure of the high-molecular-weight material was not the best because of differences in molecular entanglement and mobility. The structural advantages of a relatively low molecular weight were confirmed. The findings of this study can help in the manufacturing of precursor fibers and carbon fibers with improved properties.

Phosphinobenzenamine Nickel Catalyzed Efficient Copolymerization of Methyl Acrylate with Ethylene and Norbornene

A series of phosphinobenzenamine-based nickel complexes bearing substituted phenylphosphine ligands were synthesized and characterized. These nickel complexes combined with methylaluminoxane (MAO) exhibited very high activity (∼106 g mol–1 h–1) and good thermal stability for norbornene polymerization. The nickel catalysts were able to conduct copolymerization of norbornene and methyl acrylate (MA) with high activity (3.76 × 105 g mol–1 h–1) to give high-molecular-weight functionalized cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) with reasonable MA incorporation (2.39–6.47 mol %). Moreover, the nickel catalysts also promote the copolymerization of ethylene and MA with moderate activity (∼104 g mol–1 h–1) to produce semicrystalline high-molecular-weight polar functionalized polyethylene (PE). The MA incorporation in the copolymer was controlled in a wide range (up to 15.5 mol %). These complexes without any sterically bulky substituent on the ligand are distinctive examples of earth-abundant nickel complexes toward the direct copolymerization of ethylene or norbornene with the challenging vinyl polar monomer MA.

Ultra-stretchable chitin-based branched elastomers with enhanced mechanical properties via RAFT polymerization

In this work, a chitin-based macromolecular chain transfer agent (Chitin-CTA) was designed to graft polymers from chitin at the molecular level. Homogeneous reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was performed to prepare branched MA elastomers, chitin-graft-poly(methyl acrylate) (Chitin-g-PMA) copolymers, which were thermally stable and showed tunable glass transition temperatures. These ultra-stretchable branched MA elastomers exhibit unique strain-hardening behavior and significantly enhanced mechanical properties. Mechanical tests indicate that the chitin backbones in branched MA elastomers can act as cross-linking points to improve the tensile strength, toughness, and elasticity simultaneously. The macroscopic performance of branched MA elastomers c be further promoted by introducing hydrogen bonding as non-covalent interaction to form an additional reversible physical network. This robust and versatile grafting strategy can provide new opportunities to prepare chitin-based branched MA elastomers with extraordinary mechanical properties.

Synthesis of thermoplastic polyethylene elastomers and ethylene–methyl acrylate copolymers using methylene-bridged binuclear bulky dibenzhydryl α-diimine Ni(II) and Pd(II) catalysts

Binuclear olefin polymerization catalysts have recently attracted extensive interest in the field of polyolefin synthesis due to their excellent catalytic performance. In this work, we designed and synthesized a class of methylene-bridged binuclear bulky dibenzhydryl α-diimine Ni(II) and Pd(II) catalysts and applied them to ethylene polymerization and copolymerization. The Ni(II) complexes exhibited high activities (ca. 106 g·mol−1·h−1) and yielded highly branched (79–92/1000C) polyethylenes with very high molecular weights (Mn up to 44.57 × 104 g/mol) in ethylene polymerization. The obtained polyethylene products demonstrated excellent strain recovery (SR up to 84%). Meanwhile, the corresponding Pd(II) complexes also displayed high activities (well above 105 g·mol−1·h−1), and generated highly branched (90–92/1000C) polyethylene with high molecular weights (Mn up to 27 × 104 g/mol) in ethylene polymerization. More importantly, these Pd(II) complexes led to generating highly branched (93–101/1000C) polar functional copolymers with moderate molecular weights (Mn up to 6 × 104 g/mol) and moderate incorporation ratios (ca. 1 mol%) in ethylene–methyl acrylate copolymerization. Compared with mononuclear α-diimine Ni(II) and Pd(II) catalysts, the binuclear catalysts possessed higher thermal stability and activity, generated higher molecular weights polyethylene.

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(methyl acrylate)-grafted-Sodium Salt of Partially Carboxymethylated Tamarind Kernel Powder

Ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN)-initiated graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) onto sodium salt of partially carboxymethylated tamarind kernel powder (Na-PCMTKP, DS = 0.15) was studied in an aqueous medium by solution polymerization technique. The growth of the graft reaction was monitored gravimetrically. The role of various synthesis variables on the grafting yields was examined to achieve the maximum graft yields (%G = 278.27, %GE = 94.38, %Hp = 5.62) and the influence of the synthesis variables in the graft copolymerization has been discussed. The reactivity of methyl acrylate (MA) towards graft copolymerization was compared with that of acrylonitrile (AN) on the basis of the results obtained from the earlier studies and plausible explanation was furnished for the observed reactivity of both the monomers towards grafting. The evaluated optimized reaction conditions were utilized to study the effect of reaction medium on grafting and it was found that reaction medium plays an important role in graft copolymerization. In order to ascertain the grafting, characterization of the samples made by FTIR, TGA and SEM was conducted. The synthesized novel graft copolymer may find potential application to be used as metal adsorbents.