The functionalizing of a fiber surface by a chemical may alter the physical and biological properties of the fiber. The functionalization of a polypropylene fiber (PP) by selected monomers (1) Acrylic acid (AA), (2) 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), (3) 2-dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and (4) Methyl acrylate (MA) studied using two different ultraviolet (UV) irradiation techniques, simultaneous UV irradiation and functionalization (SUVF) and pre-UV irradiation (PUV). Based on the measured grafting parameters, it found, the tendency of monomers for functionalizing on the PP surface was the highest for the AA and HEMA, and the lowest for the MA and DMAEMA for used SUVF and PUV techniques, respectively. The SEM micrographs showed the smooth surface of the PP fiber changed to a rough surface after functionalization. The functionalization also increased the crystallinity with little effect on melting point of the fiber. Except for the MA, functionalization increased the hydrophilic properties of the fiber. The PUV technique was more effective on the grafting degree % of the monomer than the SUVF technique for functionalized fibers with HEMA and MA. The biological experiments demonstrated the eligibility of AA as a favorable functionalizing agent for increasing the anti-bio-fouling properties of the studied PP fiber.

Keywords