Surface Modification and Characterisation of Industrial Hemp Preform with Fenton-Initiated Free Radical Methyl Methacrylate Graft Copolymerisation

In this study, free radical graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) ontoindustrial hemp (Ihemp) preform was successfully performed using Fenton’s reagent(hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂, as initiator and ferrous ammonium sulfate, (NH₄)₂Fe(SO₄)₂ꞏ6H₂O,as co-catalyst) under an inert nitrogen atmosphere in aqueous medium. The homopolymerformed during the reaction was removed by acetone extraction. The grafting percentage andgrafting efficiency obtained were 21.5 % and 44.2%, respectively. These values wereachieved when 10g of Ihemp preform was copolymerized with 5mL of MMA monomer at50°C for 90 minutes using 2g of ferrous ammonium sulfate dissolved in 250mL of distilledwater. The grafted copolymers were characterised by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermogravimetry (TGA/DTG), and scanningelectron microscopy (SEM). The appearance of a new absorption peak at 1724cm⁻¹ in theFTIR spectrum and the SEM micrographs confirmed that the Ihemp preform surface wasalmost completely covered by poly(methyl methacrylate) after grafting.