Abstract
In this paper, the morphological transformations in Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle) stem fiber on graft copolymerization with Butyl acrylate (BA) and its binary mixture with Acrylic acid (AA) and Acrylamide (Aam), using ceric ammonium nitrate – nitric acid initiator system was reported. Different reaction parameters such as temperature, time, initiator concentration, monomer concentration and pH were optimized. The graft copolymers were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA and DTA techniques. The percentage crystallinity and crystallinity index were found to decrease with the increase in percentage grafting. The swelling behavior of graft copolymers in methanol, n-butanol, water and dimethyl formamide was studied and screened for dye uptake behavior in 0.1% gentian violet dye for seven hours. The graft copolymers were found to be moisture, chemical and thermal resistant. These graft copolymers could be utilized for various advanced applications.