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The acid‐catalyzed degradation of cellulose linters in distinct ranges of degree of polymerization
Author(s) -
MarxFigini M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1987.070330621
Subject(s) - degradation (telecommunications) , degree of polymerization , cellulose , hydrolysis , polymerization , aqueous solution , polymer chemistry , chemistry , catalysis , molar mass distribution , degree (music) , chemical engineering , materials science , polymer , organic chemistry , telecommunications , computer science , engineering , physics , acoustics
Cellulose linters with starting degrees of polymerization between 100 < DP n < 6000 had been hydrolytically degraded (0.5 M aqueous solution of KHSO 4 , degradation temperature 40°C and 60°C) and the results compared with those obtained in a former study on pure cotton cellulose using the same degradation conditions. A complete coincidence in the degradation characteristics of both is shown, distinguishing the latter one by the following features: (1) different kinetic behavior according to the molecular weight range in which degradation takes place; (2) those corresponding to the very high as well as to the very low range of DP reveal a notable decrease of reaction rate; (3) a simultaneous systematic decrease of derivatization capacity occurs in the low molecular weight range; (4) There is no systematic increase of soluble material in the acidic medium with degradation time; (5) in the low molecular weight range, the polidispersity index derived from the molecular weight distributions remains near DP w /DP n = 2.0, except when the hydrolysis had been carried out on already technologically digested materials, causing in these cases a certain increase. The possible reasons for the distinct features of degradation behavior are discussed.