Grafting of styrene onto carbon fibers having pendant thiol groups

Carbon fibers containing thiol groups were produced by reacting carbon fiber oxidized by nitric acid, with excess thiirane. Then, graft polymerization with styrene was carried out in a sealed tube under nitrogen. The following order of initiating ability of the investigated initiators was found: di‐ tert ‐butyl peroxide > p ‐cumenyl hydroperoxide (CHPO) > dodecyl peroxide > benzoyl peroxide > 2,2′‐azoisobutyronitrile. When CHPO was used as initiator, the rate of graft polymerization was maximum at [CHPO] = 0,01 mol/1. Chain transfer constant and grafting efficiency, both calculated from the equations of Fox and others, were compared with the experimental results.