Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate onto Casein Initiated by Potassium Ditelluratocuprate(III)

A novel redox system, potassium ditelluratocuprate(III) (DTC)–casein was employed to initiate graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) onto casein in an aqueous alkali solution medium. The effects monomer concentration, initiator concentration, pH, temperature, and time were investigated. The grafting conditions were optimized by means of a series of copolymerization. The DTC–casein system was found to be an efficient redox initiator for this graft copolymerization. The structures and thermal stability of casein and casein‐g‐PMA were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). A mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of radicals and the initiation.