Issue 3, 2012

Surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerisation from cellulose fibres

Abstract

In this study, cellulose fibres have been grafted utilizing surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerisation (SI-ROMP). Initially, a Grubbs' type catalyst was immobilized onto filter paper whereafter SI-ROMP of norbornene was performed from the surface of the fibres at three different reaction temperatures, room temperature (RT), 0 °C and −18 °C, and for different reaction times. The evaluation of the grafted cellulose was performed by contact angle measurements, FT-Raman spectroscopy, FE-SEM and TGA. After the grafting, all samples were clearly hydrophobic with weight increases up to over 100%. The FT-Raman spectroscopy analysis showed significant structural changes after polymerization for cellulose substrates polymerized at 0 °C and RT, confirming that a polymer was grafted from the surface. FE-SEM images verified that these samples are covered by polynorbornene and that the fibrillar structure of the native cellulose disappeared. For the samples grafted at −18 °C, no significant changes were seen with these analysis methods. However, SI-ROMP appears to be a versatile method to modify cellulose fibres.

Graphical abstract: Surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerisation from cellulose fibres

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
18 Nov 2011
Accepted
16 Dec 2011
First published
17 Jan 2012

Polym. Chem., 2012,3, 727-733

Surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerisation from cellulose fibres

L. Carlsson, E. Malmström and A. Carlmark, Polym. Chem., 2012, 3, 727 DOI: 10.1039/C2PY00554A

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