COMPARISON OF FE2+-H2O2 AND FE3+-H2O2 INITIATION SYSTEMS IN GRAFT COPOLYMERIZATION OF CELLULOSIC MATERIALS

Studies were carried out on decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by ferrous and ferric ions adsorbed on cellulosic materials (SP, SCP), scission of the cellulose chain and formation of grafts by graft copolymerization. As a result, it was found that the activity of ferrous ion is always higher than that of ferric ion, but there exists a common relation between the amount of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and the number of grafts for all cellulose samples and kinds of metallic ions, and it was inferred that essentially, copolymerization takes place by the same mechanism irrespective of the kind of metallic ions. Consequently, it can be considered that the difference in degree of activity between ferrous ion and ferric ion is due to the difference in the decomposition mechanism of hydrogen peroxide by these metallic ions and it is assumed that the high activity of ferrous ion in graft copolymerization is due to the high hydrogen peroxide decomposition effect. Copyright © 1969 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.