Studies on grafting of cellulosic materials isolated from Agave lechuguilla and fourcroydes

The grafting reaction of styrene onto cellulosic material isolated from Aga ve lechugilla and fourcroydes, using the initiator eerie ammonium nitrate w ith nitric acid, under variation of concentration of components, reaction c onditions. and pretreatment of starting material with aqueous NaOH was inve stigated. By determination of the maximal load it was revealed that a graft yield of about 6% gave products with the best mechanical properties, altho ugh graft yields of up to 15% can be realized. The samples were characteriz ed by means of FTIR spectroscopy, DSC measurements, and SEM. Preliminary st udies show that the grafted materials are thermally more stable compared to the starting material and that they are biodegradable.