CHARACTERIZATION OF GRAFTED JUTE FIBER BY OPTICAL AND SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

Raw and partially delignified jute fibers were grafted with acrylonitr ile and methyl methacrylate monomers, using the redox system of initia tion with ceric ammonium sulfate. Grafting was also carried out in a m ixed monomer system with acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate monomer s in different proportions. The optimum grafting condition depends on the duration of grafting treatment and proportion of grafting monomers . The monomers entered the fiber matrix with high add-on and, at still higher graft add-ons, the ultimate fibers suffered disintegration. Th e surfaces were increasingly covered with grafted materials and longit udinal cracks developed on the fiber surface with higher add-on.