Photografting of acrylic monomers on polystyrene support

Abstract

Polystyrene xanthates, prepared through the reaction of chloromethylated polystyrene resins with potassium O-ethyl xanthate, have been used for the photografting of acrylic monomers. Monomers such as acrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, and methyl methacrylate were grafted onto the xanthate polymers on irradiation with a 450 W medium-pressure mercury lamp (Hanovia). Among these monomers, the maximum graft efficiency was obtained for methyl methacrylate. The effect of cross-link density of the xanthate polymer on the percentage graft yield was also studied. Scanning electron microscopic studies have shown that appreciable grafting has taken place on the surface of the polymer in a uniform manner.