UV-induced graft polymerization of acrylamide on cellulose by using immobilized benzophenone as a photo-initiator

Photo-active moiety, benzophenone, was incorporated onto cotton fabrics by using butyl tetracarboxylic acids (BTCA). Then, grafting of polyacrylamide on the cotton fabrics was performed by exposing the fabrics to longer UV wavelength irradiation. The chemical structure and thermal properties of the polyacrylamide grafted cotton fabrics were investigated by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA, and the results verified the successful grafting of polyacrylamide on cotton fabrics. Also, it was observed that active chlorine contents were created on the polyacrylamide grafted cotton fabrics through simple chlorination process, and the chlorine treated cotton fabrics showed excellent antibacterial abilities like the powerful cyclic amide halamines. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.