Effect of Radiation Etching on Swelling Ratio of Cellulose Microgels

Carboxymethyl cellulose microgels were prepared by irradiation cross-linking. The effect of electron accelerator irradiation on the swelling ratios of microgels was studied and the changes of the swelling ratios of cellulose microgels were analyzed. The microstructure and intermolecular interaction of cellulose microgel irradiated at different doses were characterized by SEM, XRD and fourier FT-IR. SEM results showed that with the increase of radiation dose, the microgels were re-cross-linked to form some low-density areas in the center, resulting in more disordered internal structure and lower water channel density. FT-IR results showed that the epoxy ether bond of the microgel molecule was activated and participated in the reaction, which actually represented the cross-linking of the microgel. The swelling properties of cellulose microgels change due to the combination of irradiation-induced cross-linkages and changes in water channel density.