Determining the Molecular Weight Distribution of Cotton Cellulose: A New GPC Solvent

Abstract

Dimethylimidazolidinone/lithium chloride (DMI/LiCL) is shown to be an effective solvent system for a variety of celluloses, including the high molecular weight cellulose of cotton, when a swelling pretreatment in sodium hydroxide is incorporated. DMI/0.5% LiCl is suitable for use as a mobile phase in gel permeation chromatography to determine the molecular weight of cellulose. The results of using the DMI/LiCl solvent system to determine molecular weight parameters (number-average, weight-average, and peak mo lecular weight) of a variety of celluloses (cotton, rayon, tencel, linen, ramie, flax, kenaf) are reported.