EFFECT OF WOOD SAWDUST ON THE AQUEOUS POLYMERIZATION OF METHYL-METHACRYLATE

The effect of different woods such as water-treated eucalypt sawdust (E.SD), alkali-treated E.SD and untreated white pine sawdust (SD) in the presence and absence of Cu2+ ions on the aqueous polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was studied. It was found that the rate of polymerization was considerably higher in the presence of treated eucalypt sawdust (E.SD) and white pine sawdust (SD). The rate of polymerization was further increased upon copper-treated eucalypt sawdust (E.SD). The highest conversion rates (> 95%) were those obtained in the presence of copper leached from alkali-treated eucalypt sawdust (E.SD) and the least conversion rates (< 16%) were those obtained in the absence of copper in the untreated eucalypt sawdust (E.SD).