Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1986, 51, 1648-1655
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19861648

Mechanism and kinetics of grafting of polypropylene by water-soluble monomers in emulsion

Pavol Citovický, Darina Mikulášová, Emil Štaudner, Viera Chrástová and Jozef Beniska

Faculty of Chemical Technology, Slovak Institute of Technology, 812 37 Bratislava

Abstract

Oxidized isotactic polypropylene powder was grafted at 30 °C in aqueous emulsion with water-soluble monomers such as acrylic acid and acrylamide. The decomposition of the polypropylene -O-O- groups, initiating the graft polymerization, proceeds due mainly to the effect of the activator used, viz. a chelate of iron(II), and is favoured by the monomer and the necessarily present water-insoluble liquid phase. The grafting reaction order with respect to the concentration of the water-soluble monomer is 2 and higher. A mechanism and kinetics are suggested for the polypropylene grafting by these water-soluble monomers, involving the concept of presence of long-living radicals bonded to the solid polypropylene phase.