Tuning the properties of regenerated cellulose : Effects of polarity and water solubility of the coagulation medium

• In this study, the effect of different alcohols and esters as a coagulation medium in the regeneration of cellulose dissolved in an aqueous LiOH-urea-based solvent was thoroughly investigated using various methods such as solid state NMR, X-ray diffraction, water contact angle, oxygen gas permeability, mechanical testing, and scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that several material properties of the regenerated cellulose films follow trends that correlate to the degree of cellulose II crystallinity, which is determined to be set by the miscibility of the coagulant medium (nonsolvent) and the aqueous alkali cellulose solvent rather than the nonsolvents’ polarity. This article provides an insight, thus creating a possibility to carefully tune and control the cellulose material properties when tailor-made for different applications.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Cellulose

Coagulation medium

Crystallinity

Polarity

Regeneration

Coagulation

Contact angle

Dissolved oxygen

Gas permeability

Lithium compounds

Mechanical testing

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Scanning electron microscopy

Solubility

Urea

Cellulose solvent

Regenerated cellulose

Regenerated cellulose films

Solid state NMR

Water contact angle

Water solubilities

Cellulose films

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)