ABSTRACT
In this study, cellulosic fines were separated from corn stalk soda-anthraquinone (AQ) pulp, then dissolved in DMAc/LiCl solvent system and regenerated to form films. Pulp fines was separated from pulp fibers using different standard sieves. The results exhibited that the value of specific surface area for fines was increased with the reduction of particle size. The cellulose of fines was successfully dissolved in DMAc/LiCl solution and regenerated as biopolymeric films in the water bath. Mechanical properties of regenerated cellulose films were enhanced with the increase of raw-material fineness from 120 to 300 mesh. It was exhibited a remarkable decrease on the values of tensile strength and maximum decomposition temperature of the regenerated cellulose film from 500-mesh fines, indicating that too small dimensions of cellulosic particles took disadvantages on physical strength and thermostability.
ABSTRACT
In this study, an improved facile cellulose dissolution with low chemical concentration process was used for preparing corn stalk pith regenerated cellulose (RC) films. The conventional method usually requires 68% zinc chloride solution for cellulose dissolution. The objective of this study is produced corn stalk pith RC films by using a low-concentration zinc chloride solution with improved thermal stability. The major weight loss peak temperature of RC films was increased from 231 °C to 307 °C as the crystallinity indexes increased from 48.30% to 53.19% by decreased the concentration of zinc chloride solution from 65% to 45%, respectively. The increased thermal stability can create new opportunities for the development of RC films dissolving by zinc chloride solution.
