Improvements relating to the treatment of polymeric materials

摘要

Graft polymers are made by treating a nonreducing polymeric material with a polymerizable monomer having a group in the presence of a graft polymerization catalyst having the formula Ma(A)m.HaA wherein M is a rare earth or actinium series metal, A is an acid anion, m is the valence of the metal and is 3 or 4, and a is the valence of the anion. Polymers specified are polyamides, particularly in fibrous form, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyesters, cellulose triactate, alginates and proteins. Fibrous materials treated by this process exhibit modified properties, e.g. increased wettability and dyeability. The examples describe treating fibres of nylon-66, polypropylene, an acrylonitrile/vinyl pyridine copolymer and polyethylene terephthalate with aqueous solutions containing acrylic or methacrylic acid and hydroxyethyl methacrylate and a ceric sulphate-sulphuric acid polymerization catalyst.