Acrylic　acid(AA)　was　grafted　onto　cellulose　in　homogeneous　media　by　using　ammonium　persulfate　as　an　initiator　in　the　presence　of　N,N＇-methylenebisacrylamide　as　a　crosslinker　under　microwave　(MW)　irradiation.　The　powerful　and　highly　efficient　direct　solvent,　1-butyl-3-methylinidazolium　chloride　ionic　liquid　was　used　as　the　solvent　for　the　dissolution　of　cellulose　and　the　media　for　the　homogeneous　graft　polymerization　of　AA　onto　cellulose.　The　use　of　MW　resulted　in　a　drastic　reduction　of　reaction　time:　3　min　irradiation　was　sufficient,　compared　with　30　min　to　5　h,　as　conventional　heating　was　used.　Investigation　was　conducted　on　the　effect　of　reaction　parameters,　such　as　monomer　concentration,　crosslinker　dosage,　exposure　temperature　and　exposure　time.　The　structure　of　the　graft　copolymer　was　confirmed　by　IR　spectrum,　thermogravimetric　analyzer,　and　scanning　electron　microscope.　The　results　show　that　the　MW　irradiation　method　can　increase　the　reaction　rate.　And　the　graft　copolymer　is　also　an　effective　metal　ion　adsorbent.　(C)　2010　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.　J　Appl　Polym　Sci　118:　399-404,　2010