Solubilization and Functionalization of Cellulose Assisted by Microwave Irradiation

Mona Semsarilar; Sébastien Perrier

doi:10.1071/CH08491

RESEARCH FRONT

Previous Next Contents Vol 62(3)

Solubilization and Functionalization of Cellulose Assisted by Microwave Irradiation

Mona Semsarilar ^A and Sébastien Perrier ^A ^B

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Key Centre for Polymers & Colloids, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, F11, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

^B Corresponding author. Email: s.perrier@chem.usyd.edu.au

Australian Journal of Chemistry 62(3) 223-226 https://doi.org/10.1071/CH08491
Submitted: 9 November 2008 Accepted: 22 January 2009 Published: 20 March 2009

Abstract

The dissolution and functionalization of cellulose in the DMAc/LiCl system assisted by microwave irradiation is investigated. Cellulose solutions were prepared using mono- and multimodal microwave radiation, as well as using a conventional heating method. The effect of microwave irradiation on the dissolution of cellulose was evaluated by comparison of physical properties such as the viscosity of the resulting solution and the size distribution of the cellulosic chains in solution. We demonstrate that monomodal microwave irradiation allows for a faster and easier dissolution of cellulose, when compared with the use of multimodal microwave irradiation, or conventional heating. Furthermore, we show that monomodal microwave irradiation can be used for a one-pot modification of cellulose undertaken in two steps, first dissolution of the cellulose followed by reaction of the functional groups. The concept is illustrated by the modification of cellulose with lauroyl chloride.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Professor James T. Guthrie (University of Leeds) for his advice, and the University of Sydney for the provision of a scholarship (M.S.).

References

Solubilization and Functionalization of Cellulose Assisted by Microwave Irradiation

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Subscriber Login