The graft polymerization of acrylic acid(AA) onto cotton fabric was performed using ceric ammonium nitrate(CAN) as an initiator. And then acrylic acid grafted cotton was treated with NaOH solution. Surface morphology and structure changes in the cotton fabric after graft polymerization were studied by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). The properties of the gragt polymerized cotton fabric, such as diameter of the fiber, tenacity, elongation, and moisture regain, were also investigated. The graft polymerization ratio increased with increasing concentration of AA or CAN. It also increased with increasing reaction times, up to 60 minutes, but maintained a constant value after 60 minutes. The surface of grafted cotton became rougher with increasing degree of grafting. In the XPS spectra, C ls peak at 288.2 eV and O ls peak at 531.1 eV were newly introduced due to grafting and Na ls peak in 1071.2 eV was introduced by alkaline treatment with NaOH. The moisture regain of the cotton fabric was improved after graft polymerization and alkaline treatment.