Two step synthesis and characterization of carboxymethylcellulose from rayon grade wood pulp and cotton linter

Abstract EN

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was prepared from bleached cellulose pulps obtained from wood species, such as Eucalyptus globules (Eup), Picea smithiana (Picp) and Cotton linter pulp (Clp), which are used as a raw material for viscose rayon fiber.

The chemical composition of cellulose pulps (alpha-cellulose, hemicellulose, moisture, ash, intrinsic viscosity and color brightness) were also determined.

The pulps were carboxymethylated by one successive reaction step was again etherified, using monochloroacetic acid as an etherifying agent and isopropyl alcohol as a solvent.

The best results of etherification was obtained in case of cotton linter pulp.

The degree of substitution (DS) of CMC was found to be dependent upon the source of cellulose, but generally it was high in case of cotton linter pulp.

The second etherification reaction step increase the degree of substitution (DS) up to 1.9, which in turn improved the CMC solubility in water.

Qualitative and quantitave analysis of CMC was carried out to determine the moisture, sodium chloride, degree of substitution, purity and viscosity of methyl cellulose.