Analysis and Characterization of Microwave Irradiation–Induced Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate onto Delignified Grewia Optiva Fiber

Abstract

Grafting of methyl methacrylate (MMA) onto delignified Grewia optiva fiber using ascorbic acid/H₂O₂ as an initiator was carried out under microwave irradiation. The effects of varying the microwave power, exposure time, and concentration of initiator and monomer of graft polymerization were studied to obtain maximum grafting percentage (26.54%). The experimental results showed that the optimal conditions for grafting were: exposure time, 10min; microwave power, 110 W; ascorbic acid concentration, 3.74mol/L × 10⁻²; H₂O₂ concentration, 0.97mol/L × 10⁻¹; monomer concentration, 1.87mol/L × 10⁻¹. The graft copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

Keywords:

• Delignification
• FT-IR
• Graft copolymerization
• Microwave irradiation
• Scanning electron microscopy
• TGA

Notes

Optimum conditions: exposure time, 10min; microwave power, 110W; ascorbic acid concentration, 3.74mol/L × 10⁻²; H₂O₂ concentration, 0.97mol/L × 10⁻¹; monomer concentration, 1.87mol/L × 10⁻¹.

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