(421al) Dissolution of Cellulose

Dissolution
of Cellulose

Cellulose has become a
topic of keen research interest due to its potential as a substitute ingredient
in the production of petroleum products. Cellulose is a
unique stereoregular, chiral, biocompatible and
reactive polymer which at the same time constitutes an abundant and renewable
natural resource. However, the efficient conversion of cellulose towards speciality polymers
and its hydrolysis to biofuels is severely hindered by the crystallinity
inherent in native cellulose.

A few solvent systems
have been found effective for molecular dissolution of cellulose, but they
operate under rather strict conditions of composition and temperature. We
studied the dissolution of solid cellulose in aqueous NaOH
solutions with the aim to elucidate the transport phenomena governing the
dissolution process.