Facile transformation of hydrophilic cellulose into superhydrophobic cellulose

Superhydrophobic cellulose-based materials coupled with transparent, stable and nanoscale polymethylsiloxane coating have been successfully achieved by a simple process via chemical vapor deposition, followed by hydrolyzation and polymerization.

Synthesis of AgCl/PAN composite nanofibres using an electrospinning method

A new route based on electrospinning is designed for the preparation of silver chloride/polyacrylonitrile (AgCl/PAN) composite nanofibres. The AgCl nanoparticles uniform in size, were dispersed on the surfaces of the composite nanofibres. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images gave direct evidence of the structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the presence of AgCl crystals.

Miscibility studies of the blends of chitosan with some cellulose ethers

The polymeric films have been prepared based on blends of chitosan with two cellulose ethers-hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and methylcellulose by casting from acetic acid solutions. The films were transparent and brittle in a dry state but an immersion of the samples in deionized water for over 24 h leads to their disintegration or partial dissolution. The miscibility of the polymers in the blends has been assessed by infrared spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. It was shown that although weak hydrogen bonding exists between the polymer functional groups the blends are not fully miscible in a dry state.

Thermotropic liquid crystallinity, thermal decomposition behavior, and aggregated structure of poly(propylene carbonate)/ethyl cellulose blends

Maleic anhydride end capped poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC-MA) was blended with ethyl cellulose (EC) by casting from dichloromethane solutions. The thermotropic liquid crystallinity, thermal decomposition behavior, and aggregated structure were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA), and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). DSC exhibits thermotropic liquid crystallinity in the rich EC composition range. TGA shows that thermal decomposition temperatures were elevated upon interfusing EC into PPC-MA. WAXD corroborates that EC and PPC-MA/EC blend films cast from dilute dichloromethane solution possessed cholesteric liquid crystalline structure in the rich EC composition range, and that dilution of PPC-MA with EC increased the dimension of noncrystalline region, leading to a more ordered packed structure.

Hydrogel of biodegradable cellulose derivatives. I. Radiation-induced crosslinking of CMC

Radiation crosslinking of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with a degree of substitution (DS) from 0.7 to 2.2 was the subject of the current investigation. CMC was irradiated in solid-state and aqueous solutions at various irradiation doses. The DS and the concentration of the aqueous solution had a remarkable affect on the crosslinking of CMC. Irradiation of CMC, even with a high DS, 2.2 in solid state, and a low DS, 0.7 in 10% aqueous solution, resulted in degradation. However, it was found that irradiation of CMC with a relatively high DS, 1.32, led to crosslinking in a 5% aqueous solution, and 20% CMC gave the highest gel fraction. CMC with a DS of 2.2 induced higher crosslinking than that with a DS of 1.32 at lower doses with the same concentration. Hence, it was apparent that a high DS and a high concentration in an aqueous solution were favorable for high crosslinking of CMC. It is assumed that; high radiation crosslinking of CMC was induced by the increased mobility of its molecules in water and by the formation of CMC radicals from the abstraction of H atoms from macromolecules in the intermediate products of water radiolysis. A preliminary biodegradation study confirmed that crosslinked CMC hydrogel can be digested by a cellulase enzyme. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Study on polymer micelles of hydrophobically modified ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose using single-molecule force spectroscopy

Individual hydrophobically modified ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (HM-EHEC) molecules under different conditions were elongated using a new atomic force microscope (AFM) based technique-single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). The critical concentration of HM-EHEC for micelle-like clusters at a solid/liquid interface was around 0.8 wt %, which is lower than that in solution. The different mechanical properties of HM-EHEC below and above the critical concentration were displayed on force-extension curves. Through a comparison with unmodified hydroxyethyl cellulose, substituent-induced effects on nanomechanical features of HM-EHEC were investigated. Because of hydrophobic interactions and cooperative binding with the polymer, surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) dramatically influence the elastic properties of HM-EHEC below the critical concentration, and further addition of SDS reduces the interactions between the hydrophobic groups and the surfactant.

The research of cellulose derivatives as chiral stationary phases and high performance liquid chromatography with polarimeter as on-line detector

Three cellulose derivatives were synthesized and used as chiral stationary phases based on silica gel. The effects of adsorbances on the column numbers and stabilities have been investigated. These stationary phases exhibited high chiral recognition for various racemates. At the same time, the on-line curves of polarimeter were obtained by high performance liquid chromatography with polarimeter as on-line detector.

Study of the miscibility and thermodynamics of cellulose diacetate-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends

The miscibility of blends of cellulose diacetate (CDA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) was extensively studied by means of differential thermal analysis and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, tensile test, measuring viscosity of diluted and concentrated solutions of blends in acetone-ethanol mixture and morphological observations. A single glass transition temperature is observed, which is intermediate between the glass transition temperatures associated with each component and depends on composition. A synergism in mechanical properties of blends was found. The absolute viscosity and the intrinsic viscosity of solutions of blends are much higher than the weight average values of solutions of CDA and PVP. Optically clear and thermodynamically stable films were formed in the composition range of CDA/PVP = 100/0 to 50/50w/w. Fourier transform infrared was used to investigate the nature of CDA-PVP interaction. Hydrogen bonds were formed between hydroxyl groups of CDA and carbonyl groups of PVP. Heats of solutions of CDA/PVP blends and their mechanical mixtures were measured by using a calorimeter. Mixing enthalpy obtained with Hess's law approach was used to quantify interaction parameters of this blending system. It was found that mixing enthalpies and interaction parameters were negative and composition dependent. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Alkaline treatment of the cellulose fiber affecting membrane column behaviour for high-performance immunoaffinity chromatography

The original cellulose fibers and those treated by alkaline solution were both used to prepare the acrylic membranes. The two kinds of membranes were packed into the columns for high-performance immunoaffinity chromatography by the immobilization of protein A on them. It was observed that the alkaline treatment of the cellulose fiber decreased the pressure resistance of the membrane to the mobile phases and greatly increased the accessible volume to the proteins, but affected the adsorption capacity of human IgG on the protein A membrane columns less. There is little difference between those two kinds of membranes on the adsorption capacities of HIgG, which means that the alkaline treatment of the cellulose fiber only significantly changes the void volume inter-membrane, and the porosity and surface area of membrane less. Alkaline treatment of the cellulose fiber reduced the membrane-column efficiency significantly. Some typical examples for the immunoaffinity analysis of IgG from human and dog plasma on the protein A membrane columns are illustrated. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.