Graft copolymerization onto cellulose by the ceric ion method

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Abstract
Styrene was polymerized in ceric salt–alcohol redox systems and hydroxyl endgroups on the polystyrene obtained were characterized quantitatively by the spectrophotometric determination of the polymer treated with p‐phenylazophenyl isocyanate. A series of polymerization of acrylamide initiated in redox systems of ceric salt and various alcohols was studied as a model system for graft copolymerization onto cellulose. From studies of the rate of polymerization it was shown that the grafting was likely to occur at hemiacetal and 1,2‐glycol units. The cellulose–styrene graft copolymer was isolated from the reaction products by a selective extraction technique and characterized by acetolysis of the cellulose backbone. The graft copolymers obtained were found to be a mixture of block and graft copolymers.