Photoinitiated polymerization of N‐methylolacrylamide with crosslinked cotton cellulose

The effects of crosslinking both unswollen and swollen cotton cellulose on the photoinitiated reactions of N‐methylolacrylamide (NMA) with cotton are reported. Formaldehyde and dimethylolethyleneurea were used as crosslinking agents. Crosslinked cellulose had a decreased efficiency of photoconversion of NMA to poly(N‐methylolacrylamide) (pNMA) with cotton. If the cellulose was crosslinked in the swollen state, increased dosages of ultraviolet radiation gave complete conversion of NMA to pNMA with cotton. Cotton that was crosslinked in the unswollen state probably restricted movement of the aqueous solution of NMA within the fiber and fabric structures and decreased chain propagation within the structures. This restriction resulted in decreased photoconversion of NMA to pNMA with cotton. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy of cotton cellulose that was crosslinked in the swollen state and of cotton cellulose that was crosslinked in the unswollen state showed that swollen cotton was less compacted than unswollen cotton.