To study the photo-grafting performance of acrylamide (AM) onto cellulose and the mechanical behavior of grafted cellulose, Whatman 41 filter paper was grafted with 30% AM in methanol by UV radiation using in situ technique. The amount of grafting (Gf) and tensile properties like tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (Eb) were studied. In order to improve the tensile properties, cellulose was pretreated under UV and gamma radiations at different radiation intensities and subjected to grafting with 30% AM under in situ UV radiation. Cellulose was also pretreated by alkali (5% NaOH) along with UV and gamma radiations with different intensities and grafted with AM under UV radiation. Among the treatments, the alkali + UV irradiated 30% AM grafted sample showed the best mechanical performance (TS = 200%, Eb = 250%). (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2009