Surface and bulk reactions of cellulose oxidation by periodate. A simple kinetic model

The kinetics of periodate oxidation of cellulose was followed by exploiting the β-alkoxy degradation of oxidised units in alkaline medium, that brings about a decrease of viscometric degree of polymerisation. The parallel strong weight loss after NaOH treatment indicates a non-random mechanism of oxidation. The obtained results are interpreted on the basis of an appositely derived kinetic model that can be applied to other mechanisms of bulk and surface degradation.     

Structure Selectivity of Alkaline Periodate Oxidation on Lignocellulose for Facile Isolation of Cellulose Nanocrystals

Reported here for the first time is the alkaline periodate oxidation of lignocelluloses for the selective isolation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). With the high concentrations as a potassium salt at pH 10, periodate ions predominantly exist as dimeric orthoperiodate ions (H₂I₂O₁₀^4?). With reduced oxidizing activity in alkaline solutions, dimeric orthoperiodate ions preferentially oxidized non‐ordered cellulose regions. The alkaline surroundings promoted the degradation of these oxidized cellulose chains by β‐alkoxy fragmentation and generated CNCs. The obtained CNCs were uniform in size and generally contained carboxy groups. Furthermore, the reaction solution could be reused after regeneration of the periodate with ozone gas. This method allows direct production of CNCs from diverse sources, in particular lignocellulosic raw materials including sawdust (European beech and Scots pine), flax, and kenaf, in addition to microcrystalline cellulose and pulp.     

高碘酸钠氧化法测定羟丙基瓜尔胶上仲羟基取代度

高碘酸钠氧化可以使邻羟基C-C键发生高选择性断裂, 同时产生两分子醛基. 在pH=4.3及25 ℃的条件下, 对瓜尔胶及其衍生物羟丙基瓜尔胶进行高碘酸钠氧化, 采用红外光谱与核磁共振谱对氧化产物结构进行了表征. 结果表明, 氧化后的瓜尔胶和及羟丙基瓜尔胶结构中醛基主要以半缩醛的形式存在. 通过测定高碘酸钠的消耗量得到不同摩尔取代度羟丙基瓜尔胶糖单元上邻羟基的含量, 结合概率分析方法, 确定摩尔取代度分别为0.04, 0.14, 0.36, 0.51, 0.78, 1.05和1.53的羟丙基瓜尔胶在仲羟基上取代度分别为0.02, 0.09, 0.18, 0.30, 0.46, 0.59和1.03, 与其它方法得到的结果一致.     

Substrate inhibition: Oxidation of D-sorbitol and D-mannitol by potassium periodate in alkaline medium

In the oxidation of D-sorbitol and D-mannitol by potassium periodate in alkaline media, substrate inhibition was observed with both substrates, i.e., a decrease in the rate of the reaction was observed with an increase in the concentration of substrate. The substrate inhibition was attributed to the formation of stable complex between the substrate and periodate. The reactions were found to be first order in case of periodate and a positive fractional order with hydroxide ions. Arrhenius parameters were calculated for the oxidation of sorbitol and mannitol by potassium periodate in alkali media.     

Enzymatic degradation of oxidized cellulose hydrogels

The cellulose-based hydrogel with abundant aldehyde groups was prepared by periodate oxidation of cellulose hydrogel prepared by dissolution-regeneration of cellulose by aqueous LiOH/urea solvent. Aldehyde groups could be introduced retaining the nanoporosity of the cellulose gel. The enzymatic degradation of three grades of oxidized cellulose hydrogel, with aldehyde contents of 3.3, 8.1 and 18.6 per 100 glucose unit, was carried out using solutions containing cellulase and β-glucosidase at 37 °C up to 48 h. The degradation of oxidized gels was remarkably slower than that of original cellulose gel, depending strongly on the degree of oxidation. The portion except for the amount of glucose released was greater than the degree of oxidation, but became closer to the latter with increase in the degree of oxidation. This behavior can be interpreted in terms of the enzymatic recognition of the chemically modified cellulose chains.     

Physical and Chemical Characterization of Cellulose Based Textiles Modified by Periodate Oxidation

Conversion of dihydroxyl groups to dialdehyde by periodate oxidation is a useful method widely used in derivatization of cellulose to activate the polymer to further reactions as grafting polymerization. To investigate the cellulose behavior at different level of oxidation and to better understand the influence of the crystallinity on the effects induced by oxidative reactions on different cellulose materials, linen and cotton textiles have been oxidized with periodate solutions in different conditions. Oxidized cellulose samples have been characterized by several techniques: solid-state ¹³C NMR, Wide Angle X-Ray diffraction, and SEM. Moreover the mechanical properties of the untreated and oxidized yarns have been evaluated by means of tensile tests, the oxidation degree has been measured by means of the hydroxylamine hydrochloride method.     

Viscometric determination of dialdehyde content in periodate oxycellulose. Part I. Methodology

Periodate oxycellulose was subjected to alkaline hydrolysis at room temperature in both homogeneous (cupriethylenediamine) and heterogeneous (sodium hydroxide) medium, and the degradation kinetics was followed for nearly three months. By comparing the obtained results with the degradation kinetics of both hydrocellulose and periodate oxycellulose reduced with tert-butylamine borane, it was demonstrated that the -alkoxy fragmentation of oxidised sites is a very fast reaction, which reaches completeness during the preparation of samples for viscometric analyses. The subsequent degradation is due to other mechanisms, such as autoxidation and peeling. A comparison between the degrees of polymerisation of periodate oxycellulose before and after its reduction allows the quantitative determination of dialdehyde groups, without the interference of reducing end groups. Although this technique might not be valid for other kinds of oxycellulose, it supplies a simple and fast method for the analysis of mildly oxidised cellulose.     

Stability and aging of solubilized dialdehyde cellulose

Derivatization of alpha cellulose by periodate oxidation is an useful method for production of dialdehyde cellulose (DAC). Conversion of the 2,3-hydroxyl groups to a pair of aldehyde groups along with cleavage of the C2–C3 bond of anhydroglucose unit reduces crystallinity of initial material, leaving DAC soluble in water under mild conditions. Solubilization in hot water is necessary to obtain product in solution. The first part of our work confirmed that solubilization causes severe degradation of the molecular weight of the polymer. However, the chemistry and processes within these solutions are currently poorly understood. In the main part of the study, products of periodate oxidation were identified in acidic DAC solutions by NMR spectroscopy for the first time. Subsequent investigation of the acidic DAC solution's aging demonstrated that the low pH of the DAC solution considerably slows the degradation processes, namely the decrease of reactive aldehyde group content when compared to previous studies. Large increase in the molecular weight, observed after 14 days of aging, was explained by formation of intermolecular hemiacetals. Our results demonstrate that pH-stabilized aqueous DAC solutions remained active (e.g. applicable for cross-linking reactions) even several weeks after preparation, therefore reducing the need to prepare a fresh solution each time.     

Periodate oxidative decrystallization of cotton cellulose

Cotton cellulose is decrystallized by periodate oxidation to essentially zero crystallinity index (CI) at 100% oxidant consumption. The decrease in CI is pseudo zero-order over 60% of the reaction and consistent with a diffusion-controlled mechanism. The attack on regions of high order is indicated to be 100% in the latter phase of oxidation and 13% in the initial phase. Data allow an estimate that approximately 60% of the structural segments of the cotton cellulose under investigation lies in highly ordered arrangements.     

FTIR and WAXS analysis of periodate oxycellulose: Evidence for a cluster mechanism of oxidation

Cellulose paper (Whatman no.1, chromatographic grade) was oxidised with 0.1 M sodium metaperiodate at different oxidation levels (0–11 days at room temperature), and analysed with FTIR before and after chemical treatments (reduction, further oxidation, alkaline hydrolysis). The deconvolution of infrared data allowed us to verify that periodate oxidises cellulose in isolated domains, leading to the decrease of crystallinity, in agreement with the results of wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). In particular, the alkaline hydrolysis (β-alkoxy fragmentation) followed by mild acid treatment removed the oxidised groups and recovered most of the crystallinity of cellulose, as determined by the FTIR crystallinity index.     

Energy requirements for the disintegration of cellulose fibers into cellulose nanofibers

Cellulose nanofibers have a bright future ahead as components of nano-engineered materials, as they are an abundant, renewable and sustainable resource with outstanding mechanical properties. However, before considering real-world applications, an efficient and energetically friendly production process needs to be developed that overcomes the extensive energy consumption of shear-based existing processes. This paper analyses how the charge content influences the mechanical energy that is needed to disintegrate a cellulose fiber. The introduction of charge groups (carboxylate) is achieved through periodate oxidation followed by chlorite oxidation reactions, carried out to different extents. Modified samples are then subjected to different levels of controlled mechanical energy and the yields of three different fractions, separated by size, are obtained. The process produces highly functionalized cellulose nanofibers based almost exclusively on chemical reactions, thus avoiding the use of intensive mechanical energy in the process and consequently reducing drastically the energy consumption.     

Morphological changes of sterically stabilized nanocrystalline cellulose after periodate oxidation

Periodate oxidation breaks the C2–C3 bond in the glucose repeat units of cellulose, forming two vicinal aldehyde groups. When the cellulose is partially oxidized, three products were generated after periodate oxidation: fibrous cellulose, sterically stabilized nanocrystalline cellulose (SNCC) and dialdehyde modified cellulose. Thus, by periodate oxidation alone, we can produce nanocellulose. SNCCs were produced after 26, 42 and 84 h periodate oxidation. Their morphologies were examined by transmission electron microscopy, which show that the three SNCCs have similar diameters (5–10 nm). In contrast, the average length of SNCC decreases with aldehyde content: from approximately 590 nm after 26 h of oxidation to 100 nm for an oxidation period of 84 h. It indicates that the morphology of SNCC can be well controlled by the degree of periodate oxidation, which depends on the amount of periodate and the reaction time. Equivalent spherical diameters of SNCCs were also examined by dynamic light scattering, and the results correspond closely to the ones observed by TEM. The viscosities of SNCCs were measured by an Ubbelohde viscometer and compared with theory. Because the length of SNCC particles gradually reduces while their diameters remain almost the same, we propose that periodate reacts preferentially with the amorphous region of cellulose. After most of the amorphous regions have reacted, the reaction proceeds at the boundary of amorphous and crystalline regions, creating a reaction front that advances towards the crystalline regions, thus continually shortening them. Dynamic light scattering experiments on SNCC suspensions when adding cosolvents into them proved that SNCCs were sterically stabilized in water.     

纤维素固定化血红蛋白研究

纤维素是一种重要的化工原料,由于来源广泛、价廉以及良好的再生性、反应性和通用性,被广泛用做载体材料．在酶的分离纯化,蛋白质分离纯化,亲合色谱固定相,拆分手性化合物等应用领域,往往采用球形纤维素或膜状纤维素形式．而在水吸附剂,分离回收金属离子,从海水中...     

固定化血红蛋白氧载体的研究(Ⅱ)——氧化纤维素共价键联血红蛋白

以纤维素为载体,经高碘酸钠氧化后共价键联血红蛋白,制备氧载体.研究了氧化条件对血红蛋白固定量的影响.纤维素只有经过预氧化、碱处理和再氧化三步活化反应,才能使血红蛋白大量固定化,每克纤维素固定血红蛋白量达1.0g.氧载体稳定性好,血红蛋白不脱落.经铁氰化钾氧化,氧载体放氧效率为33.1%.     

Immobilization of protein on cellulose hydrogel

A technique of immobilizing an enzyme/antibody was developed using cellulose hydrogel prepared from an aqueous alkali-urea solvent. Partial oxidation by sodium periodate activated the cellulose gel for introducing aldehyde groups. Proteins were covalently introduced to cellulose gel by a Schiff base formation between the aldehyde and the amino groups of proteins, and stabilized by a reduction of imines. Coloring reactions confirmed the high activity of the immobilized enzymes. The activity of the immobilized enzymes increased with aldehyde content, but the effect leveled off at a low degree of oxidation, at approximately 8.1 of oxidized glucose/100 glucose unit. The amount of immobilized peroxidase calculated from the activity was 8.0 ng/g for an aldehyde content of 0.18 mmol/g: 14.6 ng/g for both 0.46 mmol/g and 1.04 mmol/g. The same method could be applied to the peroxidase antibody. Thus, various active proteins could be immobilized on cellulose gels by mild and facile processing. Owing to high mechanical and chemical stability of cellulose, this technique and resulting materials are potentially useful in biochemical processing and sensing technologies.     

Wide-angle X-ray diffraction study of the effect of periodate oxidation and thermal treatment on the structure of cellulose powder

Cellulose and periodate oxidised cellulose powders were investigated for any structural changes occurring when subjected to thermal treatment, since their use as fillers in composites involves prolonged exposure to high temperatures. The wide-angle X-ray diffraction peak at 2θ = 22·9° for the oxidised cellulose samples was found to decrease almost proportionately to the degree of oxidation of the starting cellulose. Whereas heat treatment of cellulose powder at 120°, 180° and 240°C for three hours also produces a continual decrease in the crystallinity of the cellulose, heat treatment of periodate oxidised cellulose at 120°, 180° and 240°C for three hours produces drastic changes in the crystallinity of the resultant products. For 16% oxidised cellulose heated at 240°C for three hours, almost total crystallinity is lost. This is also seen from the increase in line broadening of the X-ray diffractogram. An interesting feature in the above cases was the appearance of an additional peak at 2θ ≈ 12°. In DTG studies the temperature at which the major loss in weight (～ 62%) occurred was ～ 290°C for most samples. The final weight loss (～ 85%) generally occurred at 430–450°C. The 16% oxidised cellulose behaved somewhat differently, and reasons for this are explained.     

Anion mediation of aluminium-catalysed degradation of paper

The use of aluminium salts in papermaking has been linked well for over a century with causing degradation of paper. This is because the typical salts used in papermaking hydrolyse to release acid, which is a known catalyst that promotes degradation of cellulose, reducing both its degree of polymerisation and intrinsic strength. However, data reported here show that simplistic statements about the acidity of aluminium salts hide an interesting and complicated chemistry. In particular the presence of anions capable of coordinating with aluminium in solution is shown to exert an overwhelming influence on degradation reactions catalysed by the metal. Furthermore, the work highlights potential ways of pacifying aluminium cations contained in paper, effectively reducing or eliminating the degradation reactions they promote.     

Features of oxidative degradation of hydroxyethyl cellulose

The kinetics of degradation of hydroxyethyl cellulose in its oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, sodium periodate, and potassium persulfate was studied. The effect of oxidation time and oxidant concentration on the properties of the oxidation products was analyzed.     

Highly ductile fibres and sheets by core-shell structuring of the cellulose nanofibrils

A greater ductility of cellulosic materials is important if they are to be used in increasingly advanced applications. This study explores the potential for using chemical core-shell structuring on the nanofibril level to alter the mechanical properties of cellulose fibres and sheets made thereof. The structuring was achieved by a selective oxidation of the cellulose C2–C3 bonds with sodium periodate, followed by a reduction of the aldehydes formed with sodium borohydride, i.e. locally transforming cellulose to dialcohol cellulose. The resulting fibres were morphologically characterised and the sheets made of these modified fibres were mechanically tested. These analyses showed a minor decrease in the degree of polymerisation, a significantly reduced cellulose crystal width and a greater ductility. At 27 % conversion of the available C2–C3 bonds, sheets could be strained 11 %, having a stress at break of about 90 MPa, and consequently a remarkable tensile energy absorption at rupture of about 9 kJ/kg, i.e. 3–4 times higher than a strong conventional paper. Zero-span tensile measurements indicated that the treatment increased the ductility not only of sheets but also of individual fibres. This suggests that the amorphous and molecularly more mobile dialcohol cellulose is located as a shell surrounding the crystalline core of the cellulose fibrils, and that, at deformations beyond the yield point, this facilitates plastic deformation both within and between individual fibres.     

Dissolving-grade birch pulps produced under various prehydrolysis intensities: quality,structure and applications

Aqueous-phase prehydrolysis followed by alkaline pulping is a viable process to produce wood-based dissolving pulps. However, detailed characterisation of the achievable pulp quality, performance and cellulose structure is yet lacking. In this study, the production of hemicellulose-lean birch soda-anthraquinone pulps after prehydrolysis under various intensities was investigated. Increasing prehydrolysis intensity resulted in pulps of higher purity but lower cellulose yield and degree of polymerisation. Higher cellulose yield by using sodium borohydride during pulping was achieved at the expense of reducing pulp purity. Cellulose crystallinity was similar in all pulps indicating simultaneous degradation of both crystalline and amorphous cellulose regions. Reinforced prehydrolysis seemingly increased the cellulose crystal size and the interfibrillar distances. Moderate intensity prehydrolysis (170 °C) resulted in a pulp well suited for viscose application, whereas reinforced prehydrolysis favoured the production of acceptable cellulose triacetate dope. The performance of the pulps in viscose and acetate applications was strongly related to the chemical and structural properties.