Studies in chemically modified celluloses. II. Some aspects of physical properties of chemically modified celluloses

Abstract

The changes in physical properties such as moisture regain, tensile strength, elongation at break, bursting strength, and resistance to abrasion of cellulose modified with different oxidizing agents such as dichromate-sulfuric acid, sodium hypochlorite in presence of leuco vat dyes, and potassium metaperiodate and of the corresponding products obtained as a result of reduction with sodium borohydride and those by oxidation with chlorous acid have been studied. Results are critically discussed in the light of existing knowledge on the changes that occur in the fine structure as well as in the chemical structure of cellulose during the mentioned modifications. It is pointed out that complex changes in physical properties of cotton cellulose brought about by chemical modification could hardly be evaluated and interpreted in terms of one or two physical or chemical parameters.