Polymer-grafted cellulose fibers. I. Enhanced water absorbency and tensile strength

✍ Scribed by E. Rezai; R. R. Warner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 164 KB
• Volume: 65
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19970822)65:8<1463::aid-app3>3.0.co;2-e

✦ Synopsis

To enhance the water absorbency of wood fibers, various acrylic monomers were grafted to these fibers using cerium IV initiation followed by base hydrolysis. The absorbent capacity of hydrolyzed methyl acrylate-or acrylonitrile-grafted wood pulp fibers was an order of magnitude greater than ungrafted pulp fibers. A portion of this enhanced absorbency could be attributed to graft-induced osmotic forces. Enhanced absorbency was relatively independent of wood fiber type. Paper handsheets incorporating 20% grafted fibers had a fivefold increase in absorbent capacity, a twofold increase in dry tensile strength, a threefold or greater increase in wet tensile strength, and were more stretchable. In addition to enhanced absorbent capacity, the rate of absorbency was approximately 50% greater.