Grafting Vinyl Monomers onto Wool Fibers. VI. Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate onto Wool Using Tetravalent Manganese-Oxalic Acid Redox System

Graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto wool induced by the permanganate-oxalic acid redox system was investigated in aqueous medium. The rate of grafting was determined by varying the concentrations of monomer, oxalic acid, permanganate, acidity of the medium, temperature, and the reaction medium. The graft yield increases significantly with increasing oxalic acid concentration up to 1.5 × 10−-2 M and thereafter it decreases. The graft yield also increases wTth an increase of the monomer concentration, initiator concentration, acid concentration, and temperature up to a certain range and then decreases. The effect of some inorganic salts and surfactants on the rate of grafting has also been investigated and a suitable reaction mechanism has been proposed.