Effects of coagulation conditions on structure and properties of cellulose-based fibers from aqueous NaOH solvent

Wencong Wang; Faxue Li; Jianyong Yu; Jian Zhou; Hongbo Wang

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.054

Effects of coagulation conditions on structure and properties of cellulose-based fibers from aqueous NaOH solvent

Carbohydr Polym. 2017 May 15:164:118-126. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.054. Epub 2017 Jan 18.

Authors

Wencong Wang¹, Faxue Li², Jianyong Yu³, Jian Zhou⁴, Hongbo Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Jiangsu Engineering Technology Research Center for Functional Textiles, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China. Electronic address: wencong828@jiangnan.edu.cn.
² College of Textiles, The Key Lab of Textile Science and Technology Ministry of Education, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China; Modern Textile Institute, Donghua University, Shanghai 200051, China. Electronic address: fxlee@dhu.edu.cn.
³ College of Textiles, The Key Lab of Textile Science and Technology Ministry of Education, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China; Modern Textile Institute, Donghua University, Shanghai 200051, China.
⁴ Jiangsu Engineering Technology Research Center for Functional Textiles, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.

PMID: 28325307
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.054

Abstract

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) fibers with low degree of substitution were prepared by wet spinning of solutions in 8wt% NaOH solvent, and H₂SO₄/Na₂SO₄/ZnSO₄ solution was chosen as coagulants. The influence of coagulation temperature and H₂SO₄ concentration on structure and mechanical properties of resultant HEC fibers was examined by synchrotron X-ray measurements, scanning electron microscope and tensile tests. The results were analyzed from the perspective of coagulation kinetics by determining coagulation rate and mass transfer rate difference. It is shown that the increase of either coagulation temperature or H₂SO₄ concentration would accelerate the diffusion and coagulation process. The lowest coagulation temperature of 20°C or moderate H₂SO₄ concentration around 10-15wt%, which provided a gentle solidification process, favored the development of regular crystal and oriented structure, uniform and dense inner structure as well as cross sections closer to circular, resulting in HEC fibers with better tensile properties.

Keywords: Coagulation kinetics; Coagulation temperature; H(2)SO(4) concentration; Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) fibers; Structural characteristics; Tensile properties.