Cellulose-Based Gels Prepared Through Cross-Linking Reactions

Cellulose-based materials are receiving much attention due to the good availability of cellulose in nature and its biodegradability. The semi-rigid and polymeric structure of cellulose molecule provides an interesting starting point for creating gels that have structurally organized thi.eedimensional networks. The aim of this work was to prepare cellulose-based gels and study their properties in relation to the degree of derivatization.Microcrystalline cellulose and its fatty acid functionalized derivatives were used to prepare gels with increasing degree of cross-linking. The reactions were carried in homogeneous conditions in LiCl/DMAc. The DS and cross-linking ratio were varied in order to investigate how to control the structural features arising from the modifications. The effects of the drying procedure and wettability of the gels were also studied. The products were characterized using lit-spectroscopy, TGA, DSC and SEM.