Graft copolymerization of polyacrylamide onto carboxymethyl cellulose by a simultaneous irradiation technique using gamma-ray were studied. Various parameters of importance namely total dose (kGy), amount of carboxymethyl cellulose, degree substitution of carboxymethyl cellulose, amount of acrylamide monomer and methylene bis acrylamide were put to study the effect to grafting reaction. The degree of grafting and grafting efficiency in relation with swelling ratio of the product were investigated. The result of this study revealed that the degree of grafting and grafting efficiency is directly to total dose, degree substitution of carboxymethyl cellulose, amount of acrylamide monomer and methylene bis acrylamide increase but decreased with the increase of carboxymethyl cellulose. Graft copolymer gave the maximum swelling ratio at total dose of 2 kGy, 5 g of carboxymethyl cellulose, degree substitution of carboxymethyl cellulose 1.2, 6 g of acrylamide monomer and 0.25 g of methylene bis acrylamide. The degree of grafting of 121.73 and grafting efficiency of 101.22. The swelling ratio was 190 g/g dry of gel and release of potassium nitrate 45.58 % in 7 days.
