Synthesis and characterization of PET fibers grafted with binary mixture of 2-methylpropenoic acid and acrylonitrile by free radical: its application in removal of cationic dye

Grafting of binary vinyl monomer mixtures such as 2-methylpropenoic acid (MPA) and acrylonitrile (AN) onto poly (ethylene terephthalate) fibers (PET) was achieved in an aqueous medium with using benzoyl peroxide like free radical initiator. A new reactively fibrous adsorbent was used for removal of dye such as methylene blue (MB) from aqueous media through batch sorption method. Fibers adsorbent was swelled in solution to support the graft and the subsequent polymerization of MPA/AN onto polyester fibers. Optimum conditions for grafting were discovered and reactive fiber were characterized. Variations of graft yield with time, temperature, initiator concentration and monomer mixture ratio were investigated. The optimum initiator concentration was found to be 8 × 10⁻³ mol/L. The percentage of grafting rose steadily with the vinyl monomer mixture monomer concentration (50 %). The optimum temperature and polymerization time were found to be 80 °C and 120 min, respectively. The use of AN and MPA monomers together in grafting produce a significant increased in the graft yield. Experimental studies showed that the percentage removal of MB was a great higher on the MPA/AN grafted PET (MPA/AN-g-PET) fibers than on the original PET fibers. The adsorbed quantity of MB improved with pH and basic pH was appropriate for the elimination of MB. MPA/AN-g-PET fibers removed 98 % of cationic dye when initial concentration diverse from 10 to 80 mg L⁻¹ at pH 9.0. Almost all of the adsorbed cationic dye was eluted by ethanoic acid in methanol. Ten removal–desorption cycles indicated that the reactive fibers were favorable for repetitive use without notable change in removal capacity. Consequently, the MPA/AN-g-PET fibers have demonstrated potential as an effective adsorbent for the extremely effective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous media.