ABSTRACT:Crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and PVA/acrylic acid hydrogels, prepared by ␥-irradiation, were used in the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution. Comparative studies of the properties of the two hydrogels were made. The application of the prepared hydrogels as adsorbent materials for Cu 2ϩ , Co 2ϩ , and Ni 2ϩ from aqueous solution was studied. The chemical and physical properties of the hydrogels, before and after adsorption of the heavy metal ions, were investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. The efficiency of such hydrogels for the recovery of metal ions was determined by atomic absorption and UV spectroscopic analysis. The effect of changing pH on the metal uptake was also studied. It was found that the prepared hydrogels have a substantial ability to adsorb metal ions from their solution.

Radiation induced grafting of various polymers with different monomers proved to be an attractive means to modify the physical or chemical properties of polymeric materials or textile fabrics. In the present work, radiation induced grafting of viscose rayon fabrics, consisting mainly of cellulose fibers, with acrylic acid monomer has been carried out. The grafting yields have been thoroughly studied as a function of different applied experimental parameters. The impact of the graft yield on the physical properties of the fabrics such as tensile strength, elongation, swelling, moisture absorption, crease recovery angle and also the dyeing properties of the fabrics has been studied. The effect of increasing the contact time of the fabric and monomer solution, at room temperature, after stopping irradiation has been studied in detail as well as the effect of temperature on the irradiated samples also after stopping irradiation. The best grafting yield was obtained on irradiating viscose rayon fabric in methanol-water solvent containing acrylic acid monomer, at a dose 20 kGys, then heating for 7 hours at 80˚C and finally keeping the samples at room temperature for about 20 hours. That treatment significantly increased the final graft yield.

Radiation induced grafting of viscose rayon fabrics, consisting mainly of cellulose fibers, with some acrylic acid derivatives, namely methyl acrylate, acrylamide and acrylonitrile, and also styrene, has been studied. The resultant graft yields have been determined as a function of the applied different experimental parameters. The impact of the graft yields on the physicochemical properties of viscose rayon fabrics such as swelling, moisture absorption, tensile strength, elongation at break, crease recovery angle and also dyeing ability of the grafted fabrics, has been also studied.