The molecular and supermolecular structure of cellulose 2
Abstract
The structure and morphology of regenerated and mercerized cellulose were studied by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The crystal structure consists of a array of antiparallel chain molecules. The X-ray analysis utilized the intensity data for regenerated Fortisan and mercerized cotton fibers, and employed rigid-body least-squares refinement techniques. The structures for regenerated and mercerized celluloses are identical, within experimental error. The morphology of highly mercerized cotton is fibrillar and similar in appearance to native cotton. However, ultrasonic treatment disrupts the mercerized cotton microfibrils into a fibrous network connected at numerous points. The fibrous units comprising this network have widths in the range 20 to 100 A and appear to be very flexible, in contrast to the stiff 35 A wide elementary fibrils found in native cotton.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977PhDT........26K
- Keywords:
-
- Cellulose;
- Crystal Lattices;
- Molecular Chains;
- Molecular Structure;
- Cotton Fibers;
- Electron Microscopy;
- Least Squares Method;
- Microstructure;
- Morphology;
- X Ray Diffraction;
- Atomic and Molecular Physics