Potassium peroxydiphosphate — Fructose redox system induced grafting of methyl methacrylate onto silk

In an attempt to modify fibrous protein, methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been graft copolymerized onto Mulberry silk in an aqueous medium by using peroxydiphosphate — fructose redox system. Graft copolymerizations were carried out at 45, 50, and 55 °C for a period from 1 to 6 hr. Percentage grafting was found to be dependent upon reaction temperature, time, concentration of monomer, acid, peroxydiphosphate and fructose. The rate of grafting (R _p ) and the induction period (I _p of MMA was determined as a function of total initial monomer concentration.