Modification of jute yarn by photografting with HDDA. Influence of pretreatment with radiation (UV and gamma) and alkali

In order to improve the physico-mechanical properties as well as to keep polymer loading at a minimum level to maintain the inherent degradable nature, the jute yarns were grafted with a single impregnating monomer 1,6-Hexanediol Diacrylate (HDDA). Jute yarns were soaked for different soaking times (3, 5, 10 and 30 minutes) in 1-10% HDDA in MeOH [v/v] incorporated with 3% photoinitiator Darocur -1664 and cured under UV lamp at different UV radiation intensities (2, 4, 6 and 8 passes). 5% HDDA concentration, 5 minutes soaking time and 4th UV pass were selected as optimized conditions and produced enhanced tensile strength (67%), modulus (108%) and polymer loading (11%) than those of virgin fiber. To further improve the mechanical properties the jute yarns were pretreated with alkali, UV radiation (5, 10, 15, 30 and 50 pass) and gamma radiation of different total doses (25, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 krad) from Co-60 Gamma source. Among all the pretreatments, alkali along with UV pretreated samples exhibited the enhanced properties which exhibit polymer loading (11.8%), tensile strength (104%), elongation at break (64%) and modulus (132%) over virgin yarn. This treatment may tend to reveal significant information for diverse application of jute and jute products. (author)