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.
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
Lifeng
L
Yan
Juan
J
Chen
Prakriti R
PR
Bangal
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