Photoinduced Graft Copolymerization onto Chitosan Under Heterogeneous Conditions

Abstract

Photoinitiated graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto chitosan under heterogeneous conditions and in the absence of a photo initiator was investigated. The effect of irradiation time, the amount of chitosan and monomer concentration on the extent of grafting was examined. The maximum grafting percentage obtained was 294%. The copolymer was characterized using carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (C-13-NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The system designed allows synthesis of grafted chitosan with free amine groups which are otherwise possible only by chemical protection. The swelling properties of copolymer were followed in aqueous solution.