Novel cellulose derivatives. I. Liquid crystal phase formation in tri‐ O ‐α‐naphthylmethyl cellulose solutions

Tri‐ O ‐α‐naphthylmethyl cellulose was prepared by homogeneous phase reaction using SO 2 –diethylamine (DEA)–dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent system. Observations made by dynamic mechanical spectrometry and by cross‐polarized optical microscopy revealed liquid crystalline behavior for the concentrated solutions of tri‐ O ‐α‐naphthylmethyl cellulose in dimethylacetamide (DMAc). Experimental and calculated (predicted) critical volume fraction of the derivative, V c p , did not show agreement. It is determined that V c p is affected by bulky substituents on the cellulose backbone to some extent. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.