Title
Synthesis and comparison of graft copolymers using methacrylic monomers and cellulose via ATRP
Authors
YUE SHEN LIN DAI MING-FEI LI JING HE BO WANG and RUN-CANG SUN

Received August 4, 2013
Published Volume 48 Issue 7-8 July-August
Keywords ATRP, cellulose, graft copolymer, ionic liquid

Abstract
Graft copolymers of cellulose and methacrylic monomers were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) under mild conditions. Cellulose macro-initiator was successfully synthesized by direct acylation of cellulose with 2-bromopropionyl bromide (BIBB) in ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methyli midazolium chloride, followed by ATRP of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA). Copolymers were obtained via ATRP catalyzed by CuBr/pentamethyl diethylenetriamine (PMDETA). The two grafting copolymers were characterized and compared by GPC, FTIR, 1H NMR, and TGA analyses. The GPC results indicated that the reaction in the CuBr/PMDETA system was a well-controlled and living ATRP process; it exhibited relatively good control over the ATRP. The graft efficiency and graft ratio were higher in DMF. HEMA was more conducive to the ATRP reaction. Compared with cellulose-g-PHEMA, cellulose-g-PHPMA showed poor thermal stability. The cellulose graft copolymer in solution aggregated and self-assembled into a sphere-like structure.