Grafting of Polymers from Carbon Fiber. Anionic Graft Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers Initiated by Metallized Aromatic Rings on Carbon Fiber

The anionic graft polymerization of vinyl monomers onto carbon fiber initiated by metallized carbon fiber was investigated. The metalation of polycondensed aromatic rings of the carbon fiber surface was achieved by the treatment of carbon fiber with n-butyl-lithium (BuLi) in N, N, N′, N′ -tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) or hexamethylphosphorous triamide (HMPT) at 0°C. The anionic polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St) was initiated by the metallized carbon fiber, and these polymers were grafted onto the surface. The conversion and the percentage of grafting increased with increasing amount of BuLi used for the metalation of carbon fiber. When 0.20 g carbon fiber was treated with 0.3 mmol BuLi in TMEDA, the percentage of grafting of PMMA and PSt reached a maximum value (PMMA, 34.5%; PSt, 37.1 %). Furthermore, the metalation of aromatic rings of carbon fiber also proceeds by the treatment with BuLi in HMPT. On the contrary, no grafting was observed when carbon fiber was treated with BuLi in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or toluene. This may be due to the fact that metalation of carbon fiber does not proceed in THF or toluene.