Comparison of various solvents for determination of intrinsic viscosity and viscometric constants for cellulose

Different solvents used to determine the intrinsic viscosity and the viscometic constants, a and K, published in the literature for cellulose, were compared. The various parameters affecting the viscometric constants were also evaluated. The main conclusions obtained from the experimental data available in the literature are that (1) the intrinsic viscosities in various solvents are ordered as follows: [η]_LiCl/DMAc > [η]_NH3/NH4SCN ≥ [η]_FeTNa > [η]_CED > [η]_Cadoxen > [η]_Cuoxam; (2) the reported intrinsic viscosities and molecular weights for cellulose are lower than the true value due to degradation of cellulose in the solvents; (3) the rate of degradation was the smallest in LiCl/DMAc and NH₃/NH₄SCN, moderate in cadoexn and FeTNa, and the highest in CED and cuoxam; (4) the plot of log K versus exponent a was linear and inversely related; (5) the curve was used for estimation of the constant K for cellulose in a solvent (NH3/NH4SCN) with a known exponent a; and (6) among various reported solvents, LiCl/DMAc and NH₃/NH₄SCN are advantageous over other solvents because of a complete dissolution of the polymer with a negligible reduction in its intrinsic viscosity. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2189–2193, 2002