the selective differential swelling effects of methanol water and methanol water solutions on the morphological structure and reactivity of cotton for example see the disclosure by jett c arthur jr yoshio nakamura and oscar hinojosa in u s pat no 3 989 454 of the effects of methanol water and methanol water solvents in the process on the macromolecular modification of cotton and mercerized cotton by free radical initiated chain reactions with solutions of vinyl monomers the use of free radical reaction sensitizers such as benzophenone diacetyl or benzoin are not necessary in the practice of the present invention cotton textile fabric a commercial grey printcloth about 3 4 oz sq yd 84 u00d7 77 thread count was enzymatically desized alkali scoured and peroxide bleached samples of cotton fabrics 5 in u00d7 10 in and 3 5 in u00d7 10 in were wrapped in 1 to 6 layers around pyrex cylindrical tubes so that only one side of the fabric is exposed to near ultraviolet light radiation then these fabric assemblies were immersed in quartz and pyrex containers of methanol water and n n dimethylformamide solutions that had been deoxygenated and contained vinyl monomers after the desired irradiation time the samples of copolymerized fabrics were removed from the solutions and washed for about 20 min in methyl ethyl ketone followed by washing with hot water oven dried at 105 u00b0.