Grafting of methyl methacrylate to cellulose and polypropylene with UV and ionising radiation in the presence of additives including CT complexes

Detailed studies of the grafting of polar methyl methacrylate (MMA) to two representative backbone polymers, cellulose and polypropylene (PPE) in the presence of additives, using ionising radiation and UV as initiating sources, are reported. The results are compared with analogous grafting work with non polar styrene previously studied. The additives chosen for examination were predominantly components used in radiation curing formulations since grafting and curing are known to be mechanistically related. The additives were mineral acid, photoinitiators, vinyl ethers, oligomers, polyfunctional monomers including multifunctional acrylates (MFAs) and methacrylates (MFMAs). For the first time charge transfer (CT) monomer complexes have been used as additives in the current work. The CT complexes themselves, being monomers, have also been directly radiation grafted to cellulose. Mechanisms for the above grafting processes are proposed. The significance of this grafting work in analogous radiation curing is discussed. The grafting of the CT complexes, themselves, is shown to lead to new copolymers with potential industrial applications. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.