GRAFTING REACTION OF LIVING POLYMER CATIONS WITH AMINO-GROUPS ON CHITOSAN POWDER

The grafting of polymers having controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution onto chitosan powder by the termination of living polymer cation with amino groups on chitosan powder was inv estigated in heterogeneous system. The amino groups of chitosan powder successfully reacted with living poly( isobutyl vinyl ether) [poly(IB VE)] and poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) [poly(MeOZO)] cation with controll ed molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution to give t he corresponding polymer-grafted chitosan powders. The percentage of p oly(MeOZO) grafting gradually increased and reached 24.5% after 4 days . The solubility of poly(MeOZO)grafted chitosan in water increased wit h an increase in the amount of grafted polymer. ft was suggested that grafting reaction of living polymer cation with chitosan powder procee ds fi om surface amino groups to inner amino groups of the powder with progress of the reaction. The mole number of grafted polymer chain on chitosan powder decreased with an increase in the molecular weight of the living polymer cation because the steric hindrance of functional groups of chitosan powder increased with the increasing molecular weig ht of living polymer. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.