Abstract
In this study, physicochemical and chemical methods of cellulose modification were used to increase the hydrophobicity of this natural semicrystalline biopolymer. It has been shown that acid hydrolysis of the initial cellulose increases its crystallinity, which improves hydrophobicity, but only to a small extent. A more significant hydrophobization effect was observed after chemical modification by esterification, when polar hydroxyl groups of cellulose were replaced by non-polar substituents. The esterification process was accompanied by the disruption of the crystalline structure of cellulose and its transformation into the mesomorphous structure of cellulose esters. It was found that the replacement of cellulose hydroxyls with ester groups leads to a significant increase in the hydrophobicity of the resulting polymer. Moreover, the increase of the number of non-polar groups in the ester substituent contributes to rise in hydrophobicity of cellulose derivative. Depending on the type of ester group, the hydrophobicity increased in the following order: acetate < propionate < butyrate. Therefore, tributyrate cellulose (TBC) demonstrated the most hydrophobicity among all studied samples. In addition, the mixed ester, triacetobutyrate cellulose (TAB), also showed a sufficiently high hydrophobicity. The promising performance properties of hydrophobic cellulose esters, TBC and TAB, were also demonstrated.
Highlights
Cellulose is defined as a natural polysaccharide thanks to the works of French chemist Anselme Payen, who isolated it from plant matters and determined its chemical formula [1]
Tchelilsuilsodseude otomtahiensfaacntdthaadt,daistioanraelsucrltyostfaallciizdathiyodnrporlyosciess,saopcacrutri,awl rheimchovleaaldoftonoinnc-rceraysetailnltihnee ccreyllsutalollsineidtyomanadinlastaenradl asidzdeistioofncarlycsrtaylsltitaelsliz[1a0ti]o. nThperosicmesislaorccchuarr,awctheircihstilcesadoftcoriynsctarellainsee structure using X-ray method with subtraction procedure of X-ray scattering from NCD (SSNCD) were found for samples of microcrystalline cellulose obtained by acid hydrolysis of cellulose to level-off degree of polymerization [17]
Physicochemical and chemical methods of cellulose modification were studied to increase the hydrophobicity of this natural semicrystalline biopolymer
Summary
Cellulose is defined as a natural polysaccharide thanks to the works of French chemist Anselme Payen, who isolated it from plant matters and determined its chemical formula [1]. Total resources of cellulose in the nature reach one trillion tons [2]. Natural sources of cellulose are all land plants and many algae [3]; in addition, cellulose is found is shells of certain marine creatures [4], and this biopolymer is synthesized by some microorganisms, e.g., Gluconacetobacter xylinus [5]. The wood chips are boiled in boilers under pressure in the presence of delignifying chemicals, such as caustic soda, a mixture of sodium hydroxide with sodium sulfide and sulfurous acid or its salts [6]. Global production volume of wood cellulose is huge and reaches 200 million tons per year [7]
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