Mechanism of cellulose gelation from aqueous alkali-urea solution

Noriyuki Isobe; Satoshi Kimura; Masahisa Wada; Shigenori Kuga

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.03.023

Mechanism of cellulose gelation from aqueous alkali-urea solution

Carbohydr Polym. 2012 Aug 1;89(4):1298-300. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.03.023. Epub 2012 Mar 29.

Authors

Noriyuki Isobe¹, Satoshi Kimura², Masahisa Wada², Shigenori Kuga¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
² Department of Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Department of Plant & Environmental New Resources, College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, 1, Seocheon-dong, Giheung-ku, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 446-701, Republic of Korea.

PMID: 24750945
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.03.023

Abstract

Molecular process of regeneration-gelation of cellulose from aqueous alkali-urea solvent was monitored by synchrotron-radiation X-ray. The wide-angle diffraction from cellulose during regeneration, both by coagulant and heating, gave information on behavior of cellulose molecules, i.e. the glucopyranoside rings first stack by hydrophobic interaction to form monomolecular sheets, which then line up by hydrogen bonding to form Na-cellulose IV type crystallites (hydrate form of cellulose II). While such a process in regeneration of cellulose has been hypothesized and supported by molecular dynamics or monitoring of mercerization process, our observation finally confirmed it experimentally. This knowledge will be useful in understanding behavior of cellulose molecules during regeneration, leading to better controls of resulting structure and properties.