Modification of cotton-cellulose by preirradiation grafting

Acrylamide (AAm), acylic acid (Aac), 2-hydroxypropil acrylate (HPA), 2-hydroxypropil methacrylate (HPMA) and N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide (BAAm) were grafted to cotton-cellulose by the preirradiation method. The samples were characterized by ESR, degree of polymerization (DP) and tensile strength measurements, by FTIR, gravimetry, X-ray diffraction and iodine sorption. The grafting yield was strongly monomer dependent: the highest yield was found for HPMA, for HPA a medium yield, whereas for the others relatively low values were measured. Grafting improved the swelling of the samples. The highest increase in swelling was observed on samples grafted with Aac and BAAm showing saturation at about 270% at natural pH. For AAm, HPA and HPMA at low grafting yield an increase in swelling was found and then the swelling decreased with increasing grafting yield. No direct connection was found between the grafting yield and the swelling properties.