Surface Modification of Acrylic Fiber by Grafting of Casein

Abstract

A novel chemical modification method of acrylic fiber was employed by grafting of casein—a natural polymer, onto the surface of acrylic fiber. The effects of reaction conditions, such as chlorination time, chlorination temperature, grafting time and temperature, and pH value on grafting efficiency were investigated systematically. The structure and morphology of the casein grafted fiber were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that casein had been grafted onto the acrylic fiber. Moisture absorption, water retention and specific electric resistance were found to be improved compared with the untreated fiber. Mechanical properties of the grated fiber could still meet the requirement for wearing fiber. The possible mechanism is proposed to explain the grafting of casein onto the synthetic acrylic fiber.

Keywords:

• acrylic fiber
• casein
• graft
• surface modification