MECHANICAL AND THERMAL-BEHAVIOR OF COTTON CELLULOSE GRAFT-COPOLYMERIZED USING HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE IN PRESENCE OF TRIETHYLENE GLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATE

UV-radiation-induced graft-copolymerization of cotton cellulose was ca rried out with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in the presence of s mall amounts of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) using benzo in ethyl ether (BEE), uranyl nitrate (UN), and ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as photoinitiators. The presence of very small amounts of TEGDMA in the HEMA grafting bath led to great enhancement in the graft add-o n as compared to that obtained on the sodium hydroxide-preswollen subs trate. With increase in the graft add-on, the breaking load of cotton decreased, whereas its thermal stability improved.