Emulsion grafting of glycidyl methacrylate onto polyethylene fiber

Graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto polyethylene fiber was carried out in emulsion solution obtained by dissolving GMA in water with sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a surfactant. GMA micelles diameter was 415 mn at 5% GMA with 4% SDS and increased up to 1840 nm at 10% GMA with 12% SDS. Degree of grafting (Dg) which was estimated by the weight gain after grafting increased with the increment of GMA concentration in the range 2 to 8% and slightly reduced at 10% GMA. The increment in SDS concentration from 4% to 16% at 5% GMA reduced Dg from 120% to 18%. In emulsion graft polymerization, Dg was affected by covered area by GMA/SDS micelles on the fiber. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.