Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of mixtures of styrene and acrylamide onto cellulose acetate. I. Effect of solvents

The grafting of styrene and acrylamide, from both their binary and unitary systems, on cellulose acetate film was studied by means of the cobalt-60 postirradiation grafting technique. The extent of grafting was found to be dependent on preirradiation dose, reaction time, and temperature, and the optimum conditions were evaluated. The effect of solvents, e.g., water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and t-butanol were studied. The composition of the binary mixture as well as the nature of the alcohol used as the solvent were found to have a strong influence in modifying the course of grafting. Each component of the binary monomer mixture was found to sensitize the grafting of the other, when the former is present in relatively large concentration. The observed results are discussed in detail in terms of relative molecular reactivity and reactivity ratios