Preparation and Properties of Oil-Absorptive Fiber Based on Polybutyl Methacrylate-inter-polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate via Wet Spinning

A series of polymers system based on poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) and poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPN) (PBMA/ PHEMA=70/30 by weight) have been attained by a sequential polymerization method using divinylbenzene (DVB) as cross-linking agent. Oil-absorptive fibers are prepared by wet-spinning processing. Oil absorbencies, swollen diameter variation, tensile strength, percentage elongation at break of the oil-absorptive fibers are reported. Crystalline structures have been estimated using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD). Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are used to investigate thermal properties of oil-absorptive fibers. The results show that the cross-linking agent has a full impact on the properties of the oil-absorptive fiber. With an increase in DVB, oil absorbency can be improved, and the fiber shows many special phenomena including perfect cross-linking structure, excellent entanglement behaviors, good thermal stability and mediated crystalline temperature. However, glass transition temperature increases, and crystallization behavior becomes poor as increasing the cross-linking agent of DVB.