Radiation-induced reactions with cellulose. VI. Copolymerization studies with monomers in wetting solvents

Abstract

Radiation-induced grafting of three commonly used monomers to cellulose in a variety of wetting solvents has been examined. Styrene and methyl methacrylate in both air and vacuum readily graft to cellulose in acetone, dioxan, and dimethylformamide solvents whereas vinyl acetate under similar conditions exhibits poor copolymerization behaviour. All three monomers do not readily graft in n-butylamine. The grafting properties of styrene in ethanol and propan-1-ol are similar to those observed in methanol, whereas poor copolymerization is obtained in butan-1-ol. A mechanistic interpretation of the observed data is discussed in terms of current theories of radiation polymerization.