Dielectric and Hydration Study of Aqueous Cellulose Derivative Solutions

Abstract

Dielectric and hydration studies have been done on hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) (Molecular weight 1261 g/mole) in 15 centipoise (cPs) and 50 cPs and methyl cellulose (MC) (Molecular weight 454 g/mole) in 450 cPs and 4000 cPs aqueous solutions using a time domain reflectometry technique. The static dielectric constant, density, and hydration numbers were determined at various concentrations. The results revealed that the formation of bound water molecules around the cellulose derivative (CD) decreased with increasing concentrations of the CD. The higher value of the hydration number of the CD suggested that water-CD interactions were stronger in aqueous solutions of CD at the lower concentration of the solute; i.e., the CD-water interactions were progressively weaker as the CD concentration was increased.