Photoinitiated Polymerization onto Cotton

Abstract

Polymerizations of acrylamide, diacetone acrylamide, methacrylamide, and N,1'-methylenebisacrylamide from water solutions with cotton were photoinitiated on exposure to near-uv light (3100-4100 Å, peak near 3500 Å). The rates of photopolymerization were as follows: diacetone acrylamide > acrylamide, methacrylamide > N,N-methylenebisacryla mide. Infrared spectra of the copolymer products showed increased carbonyl group absorption. The cotton—poly- (acrylamide) and cotton—poly (diacetone acrylamide) copolymer products were stable to solvent extraction and to acid hydrolysis, but only the.latter was stable to base hydrolysis. Differential dyeing indicated variation in the deposition of the photopolymers in the fabrics. Large increases were observed in the moisture regain of cotton—poty (N,N-methyl enebisacrylamide) and —poly (methacrylamide) fabric copolymers, as compared with cotton fabric controls.