Grafting Vinyl Monomers onto Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) (PET). IV. Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate onto PET Fibers Using Acetyl Acetonate Complexes of Mn(III), Co(III), and Fe(III)

The graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto poly-(ethylene terephthalate) using metal complexes of Mn3+, Co3+, and Fe3+ as initiators was studied. The rate of polymerization, Rp, increased with increasing complex concentrations. The rate of polymerization was also studied by varying monomer concentrations. Increasing monomer concentrations, the rate of polymerization increases significantly. The graft yield increases with increasing temperature within the range 60–75°C. The graft yield is medium dependent. A suitable kinetic scheme has been pictured and rate equations have been derived.