Silk fibre modification through graft copolymerization using vinyl monomer

Abstract

Grafting of <i>Antheraea assama</i> silk fibre with vinyl monomer in aqueous medium using KMnO₄-oxalic acid redox system as initiator has been carried out at different temperature and time and its effect on fibre properties studied by varying the concentrations of monomer (acrylamide), initiator (potassium permanganate), oxalic acid and sulphuric acid. The grafted samples have been characterized using their spectroscopic data and thermal properties as evaluated by thermogravimetric, differential thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry techniques in static air (heating rate 20 °C and 30 °C min^-1) at 30° -800 °C. The kinetic parameters are also evaluated using Coats and Redfern method with computer programming in Fortran 77. It is observed that the grafted products are thermally more stable than the ungrafted one. The water staining, water retention capacity and tensile properties improve in case of the grafted fibres/fabrics.