Creation of reactive centers on cotton. II

Abstract

Acrylamidomethylated cellulose (AMC) was prepared by reacting cellulose with N-methylolacrylamide or its ethers in acidic medium under a variety of conditions. The extent of the reaction, expressed as mmole double bonds per 1 g cellulose, increased by increasing the concentration of N-methylolacrylamide or its ethers. However, the paddry-cure technique produced AMC with greater amounts of double bonds than the pad-batch technique. Also, the reactivity of the etherifying agents follow the order N-methylolacrylamide>N-methoxymethylacrylamide>N-methoxymethylmethacrylamide. Furthermore, the behavior of AMC in neutral, alkaline, and acidic media was studied. No change in the amount of the pendent double bonds of AMC occurred in neutral medium regardless of the conditions employed. On the contrary, disappearance of the double bonds took place in alkaline medium. The extent of disappearance depends on the kind of alkali used as well as on the conditions implemented. It was disclosed that consumption of the pendent double bonds of AMC occurred mainly via addition of the cellulose hydroxyls to yield a crosslinked cellulose. Treatment with hydrochloric acid, on the other hand, resulted in partial splitting of the acrylamidomethyl groups as well as addition of the acid on the pendent double bonds of AMC.