Process for radiation grafting onto a partially swollen cellulosic substrate

Claim 1

METHOD FOR BENEFICALLY MODIFYING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE CELLULOSIC SUBSTRATES WHICH COMPRISES FRIST CONTACTING THE SUBSTRATE WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION, IN A SUBSTNATILLY NEUTRAL PH, OF A WATER-SOLUBLE ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED MONOMER THAT IS POLYMERIZABLE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A FIELD OF IONIZING HIGH ENERGY RADIATION; CONTINUION CONTACT OF SAID SUBSTRATE WITH SAID MONOMERIC SOLUTION UNTIL THE FORMER IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY SWOLLEN BY THE LATTER; THEN SUBSEQUENTLY EXPOSING THE CELLULOSIC SUBSTRATE WHILE IT IS IN CONTACT WITH THE AQUEOUS MONOMERIC SOLUTION TO A FIELD OOF IONIZING HIGH ENERGY RADIATION UNTIL AT LEAST THE SURFACE OF THE SUBSTRATE HAS BECOME MODIFIED WITH THE SATURATED REACTION PRODUCT OF SAID MONOMERIC MATERIAL THAT HAS BEEN CHEMICALLY REACTED TO PROVIDE SIAD REACTION PRODUCT IN THE PRESENCE OF AND IN INTIMATE ASSOICATION WITH SAID SUBSTRATE.