Grafting of Vinyl Monomers onto Silk Fibers

Abstract

Graft copolymerization onto textile fibers is a challenging field of research with unlimited future prospects [1–6]. This is attractive to chemists as a means of chemical modification of natural macromolecules since, in general, degradation could be minimized. Thus it is hoped to retain the desirable properties of the natural material and give it additional properties through the added polymer. Means of forming copolymers with natural macromolecules are now well understood because the techniques of polymer chemists are usually applicable. A vast number of combinations of composition and conformation is possible for each copolymer, and the properties of each copolymer may vary with the mode of formation employed.