Sains Malaysiana 44(6)(2015): 853–859

 

Graft Copolymerization of Acrylonitrile onto Torch Ginger Cellulose

(Pengkopolimeran Cangkuk Akrilonitril ke atas Selulosa Kantan)

 

FAZLIYANA AHMAD ZAKI & IBRAHIM ABDULLAH*

 

Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600 Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

Received: 15 January 2014/Accepted: 15 November 2014

 

ABSTRACT

Graft copolymerization of acrylonitrile onto torch ginger cellulose was carried out in an aqueous medium with ceric ion redox initiator. The optimum grafting parameters such as temperature, reaction time, ratio of monomer to cellulose addition and ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) concentration were determined and a maximum graft yield of 40% was recorded. The graft copolymer was characterized and compared with untreated cellulose. A new absorption peak corresponding to the nitrile group of acrylonitrile was recorded by FTIR at 2244 cm-1 on the grafted cellulose. The morphology studies showed that the diameter and the surface roughness of grafted cellulose had increased as compared with the untreated cellulose. On the contrary, the grafting had resulted in lowering the crystallinity of the cellulose from 63 to 53%. The grafted cellulose produced a new derivative TG peak at 420°C and higher residual percentage than the untreated cellulose.

 

Keywords: Acrylonitrile; cellulose; graft copolymerization; torch ginger

 

ABSTRAK

Pengkopolimeran cangkuk monomer akrilonitril ke atas selulosa telah dijalankan di dalam medium akuas dengan pemula redoks ion serik. Parameter cangkukan optimum seperti suhu, tempoh tindak balas, nisbah penambahan monomer kepada selulosa dan kepekatan serik amonium nitrat (CAN) telah ditentukan dengan hasil cangkukan maksimum sebanyak 40% telah direkodkan. Kopolimer cangkuk dicirikan dan perbandingan dilakukan dengan selulosa tanpa rawatan. Puncak serapan baru FTIR pada selulosa tercangkuk telah dirakam pada 2244 cm-1 yang merujuk kepada kumpulan nitril daripada akrilonitril. Kajian morfologi menunjukkan diameter dan kekasaran permukaan selulosa tercangkuk telah bertambah jika dibandingkan dengan selulosa tanpa rawatan. Sebaliknya, proses cangkukan telah mengakibatkan berlakunya penurunan kehabluran selulosa daripada 63 kepada 53%. Selulosa tercangkuk didapati telah menghasilkan puncak terbitan TG baru pada 420°C dengan peratus residu yang lebih tinggi daripada selulosa tanpa rawatan.

 

Kata kunci: Akrilonitril; kantan; pengkopolimeran cangkuk; selulosa

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*Corresponding author; email: dia@ukm.edu.my