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Effect of stirring conditions on cellulose dissolution in NaOH/urea aqueous solution at low temperature
Author(s) -
Qin Xingzhen,
Lu Ang,
Zhang Lina
Publication year - 2012
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.36992
Subject(s) - cellulose , dissolution , solubility , urea , aqueous solution , chemistry , solvent , chemical engineering , materials science , nuclear chemistry , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Cellulose can be dissolved in precooled (−12°C) 7 wt % NaOH/12 wt % urea aqueous solution within 2 min as a result of a dynamic self‐assembly process among solvent molecules (NaOH, urea, and water) and cellulose macromolecules. The dispersion condition of cellulose could play an important role on the formation of cellulose inclusion complex, leading to good dissolution (Cai et al., Macromolecules 2008, 41, 9345). Therefore, the stirring conditions on the cellulose dissolution in NaOH/urea were studied in this work. The results from solubility experiments, optical microscope images, and rheology experiments suggested that lager stirring blade area, longer stirring time, and higher stirring rate could improve the saturated solubility value ( C max ) of cellulose. However, when C max value reached a maximum, it changed hardly with further increasing stirring time and rates, which could be regarded as complete dissolution of cellulose in NaOH/urea. Moreover, a schematic diagram of the cellulose solubility had been made, as an instruction of cellulose dissolution in NaOH/urea. The DLS experiments displayed a similar rule. On the other hand, the C max values could be significantly enhanced by decreasing the stirring environment temperature, and the favorable environment temperature range was from −10 to −5°C. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012