Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 18 No 2 (2014): 415 - 422

 

 

 

SYNTHESIS OF CHITOSAN-GRAFTED-POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) WITH FENTON’S REAGENT (Fe²⁺ - H₂O₂) AS A REDOX INITIATOR

 

(Sintesis Kitosan-Cangkuk-Poli(Metil Metakrilat) Dengan Reagen Fenton (Fe^{2 +} - H₂O₂) Sebagai Pemula Redoks)

 

Nur Azmyra Abdul Aziz*, Aznizam Abu Bakar, Azman Hassan, Nurulhusna Azmi

 

Enhanced Polymer Research Group (ENPRO),

Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia.

 

*Corresponding author: azmyra_aziz@yahoo.com

 

 

Abstract

Graft copolymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) onto chitosan fiber has been successfully carried out using Fenton’s Reagent which is consisted of hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂) as initiator and ferrous ammonium sulphate(FAS) as co-catalyst under inert atmosphere in an aqueous medium. The PMMA homopolymer formed during the reaction was removed from the grafted copolymer by Soxhlet extraction using acetone as the solvent. The grafting percentage and efficiency obtained were 449.16% and 85.94%, respectively. The maximum grafting percentage and efficiency were achieved when 0.3 g chitosan copolymerized with 3 mL monomer at 70^oC for 120 minutes with [FAS] = 6 x 10^-5 M, [H₂O₂] = 6 x 10^-3 M and 8 mL water. The grafted copolymers were characterized by using FTIR, DSC, TGA and SEM analysis. The presence of absorbance band at 1724 cm^-1 provided strong evidence of grafting.

 

Keywords: graft copolymers, chitosan, monomers, radical polymerization

 

Abstrak

Pengkopolimeran cangkuk poli(metil metakrilat)(PMMA) terhadap gentian kitosan telah berjaya dilakukan dengan menggunakan Reagen Fenton yang terdiri daripada hidrogen peroksida (H₂O₂) sebagai pemula dan ferus ammonium sulfat (FAS) sebagai ko-mangkin pada persekitaran atmosfera lengai dalam medium berair. Homopolimer PMMA terbentuk semasa tindakbalas telah disingkirkan daripada kopolimer cangkuk melalui kaedah pengekstrakan Soxhlet dengan menggunakan aseton sebagai pelarut. Peratusan pencangkukan dan peratusan kecekapan pencangkukan yang diperolehi masing-masing ialah 449.16% dan 85.94%. Peratusan maksima pencangkukan dan kecekapan pencangkukan diperolehi apabila 0.3 g kitosan dikopolimer dengan 3 mL monomer pada 70^oC selama 120 minit dengan mengunakan [FAS] = 6 x 10^-5 M, [H₂O₂] = 6 x 10^-3 M dan 8 ml air. Kopolimer tercangkuk telah dicirikan dengan menggunakan analisis FTIR, DSC, TGA dan SEM. Kehadiran kumpulan penyerapan pada 1724 cm^-1 menunjukkan bukti kukuh berlakunya pencangkukan.

 

Kata kunci: kopolimer cangkuk, kitosan, monomer, radikal pempolimeran

 

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