Thesis (MSc (Chemistry and Polymer Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Cellulose, one of the most abundant organic substances on earth, is a linear polymer
of D-glucose units joined through 1,4-β-linkages. Cellulose is however not easily
processed without chemical modification. A number of techniques exist for the
modification of cellulose, of which the viscose process is one of the most widely
applied. Grafting of synthetic polymeric chains onto or from cellulosic materials is an
useful technique that can be used to combine the strengths of synthetic and natural
polymers dramatically, so changing the properties of cellulosic materials (pulp,
regenerated cellulose, cellulose derivatives).
In this study five model xanthate (Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer
(RAFT)/Macromolecular Design through Interchange of Xanthates (MADIX)) agents,
namely, monofunctional, difunctional, trifunctional and tetrafunctional species of the
form S=C(O-Z)-S-R, with different leaving groups and different activating moieties,
were prepared and then studied to determine the feasibility of cellulose modification
via addition fragmentation processes. These agents were characterized by Nuclear
Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy
(FT-IR) and Ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV). Polyvinyl acetates (PVAc) in the form of
linear, three armed and four armed star shaped polymers were then successfully
synthesized in reactions mediated by these xanthate RAFT/MADIX agents
Xanthates were applied to polysaccharide materials using the viscose process
(xanthate esters were formed directly on a cellulosic substrate, with subsequent
alkylation) Grafting reactions were then conducted with the polysaccharides; cellulose
was modified with vinyl acetate, [this is an example of a surface modification of
natural polymers that is of interest in various industries, such as textiles and paper
manufacture].
Analysis of the graft copolymers was conducted via Size Exclusion Chromatography
(SEC), Liquid Adsorption Chromatography (LAC), Thermogravimetric Analysis
(TGA), and FT-IR.
Polyvinyl acetate was successfully grafted onto three polysaccharides (cellulosic
materials), namely Hydroxyl Propyl Cellulose (HPC), Methyl Cellulose (MC) and
cellulose. The study showed that the modification of cellulosic substrates with defined
grafts of vinyl acetate can be easily achieved through minor modifications to existing
industrial techniques.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2526 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Fleet, Reda |
| Contributors | Sanderson, R. D., McLeary, J. B., Grumel, V., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Chemistry and Polymer Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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