Collagen-poly(methyl methacrylate) graft copolymers: effect of aqueous organic solvent system and salts on copolymer composition

Abstract

Collagen-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) graft copolymers were prepared in a number of aqueous/organic solvent systems and in the presence of neutral salts using ceric ammonium nitrate as initiator. The composition of the collagen-methyl methacrylate graft copolymers was studied by hydrolyzing the collagen backbone and measuring the molecular weights of the grafted PMMA branches. In water/methanol grafting media the molecular weights of the PMMA branches showed a maximum at a methanol concentration of 25% and then decreased with further increase in methanol concentration. Even though the percent grafting registered a sharp fall with increasing concentration of methanol, the number of grafting sites remained more or less constant and was almost the same as that obtained in aqueous medium. Other aqueous/organic solvent systems gave more grafted chains than those prepared in water alone, and these were of lower molecular weight. Anions such as sulphate and chloride were found to have more influence than nitrate in decreasing the number of grafting sites.