Graft copolymerization of water-soluble monomers containing quaternary ammonium group on poly(vinyl alcohol) using ceric ions

Graft copolymerization of water-soluble monomers containing quaternary ammonium onto PVA was studied in an aqueous medium using ceric ammonium nitrate-nitric acid as the redox initiator. To optimize the reaction conditions for obtaining a maximum percent of grafting, the concentrations of methacryloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (DMC) monomer, ceric ammonium nitrate, and temperature were varied, and the effects on the grafting copolymerization were discussed. Under optimum conditions, a series of water-soluble monomers containing quaternary ammonium, such as methacryloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (DMC), DMAEMA·C2H5Br, DMAEMA·C4H9Br, DMAEMA·C16H33Br, and DMAEMA· C7H7Cl, were successfully grafted onto PVA. The resulting grafted PVA were characterized with IR, NMR, and viscosity measurements.