Low cost highly efficient natural polymer-based radiation grafted adsorbent-I: Synthesis and characterization

High energy Co-60 gamma radiation was used to graft cationic and anionic monomers onto radiation crosslinked chitosan through mutual radiation grafting technique. The absorbed dose for synthesizing adsorbent of good strength and adsorption capacity was monomer specific. The grafting extent increased with the increase in radiation dose, dose rate and monomer concentration. While a decrease in grafting extent was observed with the increase in crosslinking density of chitosan backbone. The grafted products were characterized for water uptake capacity, surface morphology, thermal stability and elemental analysis by SEM, TGA and EDXA respectively. •Chitosan based grafted matrix developed through mutual radiation grafting.•Crosslinked chitosan synthesized through radiation induced crosslinking.•Cationic and anionic monomers radiation grafted onto crosslinked chitosan.•Crosslinked and grafted chitosan characterized in-view of intended application.