AbstractAn ESR study of the free‐radical mechanisms of the post‐irradiation reactions of cotton cellulose with acrylonitrile is reported. The effects of atmosphere, moisture content, and solutions of acrylonitrile on the yield and stability of free‐radical sites in irradiated cellulose were determined. On interaction of γ‐radiation from a60Co source with cotton cellulose, long‐lived free‐radical sites were found within the molecular lattice. Short‐lived free‐radical sites were apparently also formed on chain cleavage, gave strong singlet spectra, and were readily accessible to interaction with water. Other free‐radical sites were formed within regions of the cellulosic fiber which were inaccessible to moisture or aqueous solutions even after contact times as long as three days. It was suggested that long‐lived free‐radical sites in cellulose I (containing regain moisture) resulted from dehydrogenation at C5, and in cellulose II (containing regain moisture) resulted from dehydrogenation at C5and dehydrogenation of the OH group or dehydroxylation at C6. When irradiated cellulose was contacted with a solution of acrylonitrile (15) in 75 aqueous zinc chloride, the initial rate of decrease in spin concentration was higher than the rate of decrease as the time of contact increased. The ESR spectrum of the reacted cellulose, observed at −100°C., as compared with the spectrum for the irradiated cellulose, had decreased in signal strength with increase in time of contact and changed from a three‐line spectrum to an ill‐defined spectrum. The free radical being observed was probably due to unreacted sites in the cellulose. The extent of the graft copolymerization reaction was directly related to the initial spin concentratio
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