The microcrystalline cellulose-g-poly[2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (MCC-g-PDEAEMA) polymer brushes were synthesized under control by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in the ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl). Ethyl alcohol was used as the cosolvent to form a homogeneous system and solve the problem that the functional monomer N

N-diethylamino-2-ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) hardly dissolved in [AMIM]Cl. The synthetic mechanism of heterogeneous system and homogeneous system in [AMIM]Cl was analyzed. The experiments showed that the byproduct PDEAEMA in the homogeneous system was reduced and the grafting efficiency of the polymer brushes was improved. Meanwhile

the molecular weight distribution was narrow and ATRP was easily controlled. Optimum reaction conditions in the homogeneous system were attained at CuBr/PMDETA/DEAEMA/ethyl alcohol molar ratio of 1:15:150:300. The grafting efficiency could reach to 78.1%. MCC-g-PDEAEMA was characterized through FTIR spectroscopy

1H NMR spectroscopy and GPC. The results proved that the PDEAEMA side chains were covalently bonded to the MCC backbone and the molecular weight distribution of the polymer brushes were even.