Ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN)-initiated graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate (MA) onto sodium
salt of partially carboxymethylated tamarind kernel powder (Na-PCMTKP, DS = 0.15) was studied in
an aqueous medium by solution polymerization technique. The growth of the graft reaction was
monitored gravimetrically. The role of various synthesis variables on the grafting yields was examined
to achieve the maximum graft yields (%G = 278.27, %GE = 94.38, %Hp = 5.62) and the influence of
the synthesis variables in the graft copolymerization has been discussed. The reactivity of methyl
acrylate (MA) towards graft copolymerization was compared with that of acrylonitrile (AN) on the
basis of the results obtained from the earlier studies and plausible explanation was furnished for the
observed reactivity of both the monomers towards grafting. The evaluated optimized reaction conditions
were utilized to study the effect of reaction medium on grafting and it was found that reaction medium
plays an important role in graft copolymerization. In order to ascertain the grafting, characterization
of the samples made by FTIR, TGA and SEM was conducted. The synthesized novel graft copolymer
may find potential application to be used as metal adsorbents.
Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(methyl acrylate)-grafted-Sodium
Salt of Partially Carboxymethylated Tamarind Kernel Powder
