Carboxymethyl chitosan sodium (CMCTS) was synthesized by chitosan and chloroacetic acid under an alkali catalyst. Acrylic acid sodium salt and methylacrylic acid sodium salt were grafted onto CMCTS to obtain copolymers with good water solubility. The graft reaction was carried out at 70degreesC for 2 h, and ammonium persulfate was used as an initiator. The structure changes of chitosan and its derivatives were investigated by the FTIR. The antibacterial activity of chitosan derivatives against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were explored by the viable cell counting method.