Cationic Polymerization ofN-Vinylcarbazole andN-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone Initiated by Carboxyl Groups on Carbon Fibers

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Abstract
The effects of solvent and temperature on the grafting of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (NVC) onto carbon fiber by cationic polymerization initiated by carboxyl groups on the surface were investigated in order to obtain poly-NVC-grafted carbon fiber with a higher percentage of grafting It was found that the rate of the polymerization of NVC increased, depending on the dielectric constant of the solvent, in the following order: toluene < 1,2-dichloroethane < nitrobenzene. However, the percentage of grafting of poly-NVC onto the carbon fiber obtained from polymerization in nitrobenzene was smaller than that in toluene. This may be due to differences in the chain transfer of the growing polymer cation to NVC and these solvents. Furthermore, poly-NVC-grafted carbon fiber with a higher percentage of grafting was formed at a lower polymerization temperature, i.e., 60°C. In addition, it became apparent that carbon fiber is capable of initiating the cationic polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVPD), and poly-NVPD was grafted onto carbon fiber, depending on the termination reaction of the growing polymer cation with carboxylate anion on carbon fiber. However, cationic polymerization of isobutyl vinyl ether and α-methylstyrene was scarcely initiated by carbon fiber.