Ce(IV) ion initiated graft polymerization of glycidylmethacrylate onto a demineralized bone matrix: effect of reaction parameters

Studies on chemical modification of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) have opened new arenas in the field of clinical orthopedics owing to its potential osteoinductivity with desired chemical functionality. To widen its usage to biomolecular delivery, graft polymerization of glycidylmethacrylate onto DBM was carried out by a free-radical initiating process using ceric ammonium nitrate as an initiator. The evidence of the grafting reaction was examined by chemical analysis using Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The grafting condition was standardized by regulating the reaction parameters such as the concentrations of the backbone, the monomer and the initiator, the polymerization temperature and time. The optimum polymerization temperature and time to have the maximum grafting yield were 40 °C and 3 h, respectively. The percentage of grafting and the percentage of grafting efficiency were determined as a function of the reaction parameters, and both were found to increasing initially and thereafter decrease in most of the cases. The grafting results are discussed in a detailed fashion and a reaction mechanism is proposed.