Graft copolymerisation is a process in which side chain grafts are covalently attached to a main chain of a polymer backbone to form branched copolymer.
The extent of polymerisation graft is referred to as the degree of grafting (grafting yield) and is gravimetrically determined as the
percentage of mass increase following copolymer preparation.
Both the backbone and side chain grafts can be either homopolymer or copolymer.
The active sites initiating polymerisation reactions may be free radical or ionic chemical groups (Nasef and El-Sayed, 2004). Various methodologies including high energy radiation, photochemical and chemical initiation techniques have been used to activate or initiate the backbone cellulose polymer (Bhattacharya and Misra, 2004). Initiation methods which generate free radicals have received the greatest amount of attention due to their practicality.
Free radicals are formed on the cellulose molecules either by decomposition of a chemical initiator, ultraviolet (UV) light or high energy radiation.