Dissolving cellulose in a NaOH/thiourea aqueous solution: a topochemical investigation.
Various kinds of cellulose/cellulose-aggregate films have been prepared on newly cleaved mica by the deposition of the suspensions of microcrystalline cellulose in water in the presence or in absence of NaOH/thiourea at different temperatures. The topochemistry of the cellulose surfaces have been directly observed by employing both SEM-EDX and AFM. These studies show that both NaOH and thiourea have a homogeneous distribution around the cellulose fibers during the dissolving process, and it is believed that their synergic interactions play a key role to dissolve the cellulose aggregates. It is also found that the dissolving process is continuous while the ice state formation promotes the dissolving process.
Yan
Lifeng
L
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at Micrometer-Scale and Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China. lfyan@ustc.edu.cn
Chen
Juan
J
Bangal
Prakriti R
PR
D002424:Caustics / Q000737:chemistry; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013890:Thiourea / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D002424:Caustics; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D002482:Cellulose; D013890:Thiourea