Synthesis and characterization of carboxymethyl chitosan grafted methacrylic acid initiated by ceric ammonium nitrate

O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCH) was prepared and characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Grafting of methacrylic acid (MA) onto CMCH using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an initiator was carried out under nitrogen atmosphere in aqueous solution. Evidence of grafting was confirmed by comparison of FTIR spectra of CMCH and the grafted copolymer as well as scanning electron micrograph (SEM) and X-ray diffraction of the products. The effects of concentration of CAN, MA, reaction time and temperature on graft copolymerization were studied by determining the grafting percentage and grafting efficiency. Keeping other conditions constant, the optimum grafting conditions were obtained as follows: CMCH = 2 gm, CAN = 0.2 M and MAA = 0.581 mol/L, reaction temperature 40 degrees C and reaction time = 4.5 hr.