Cellulose triacetate single crystals grown from solution at high temperature without inclusion of solvent

Single crystals of cellulose triacetate II (CTA II) free of crystallization solvent can be grown from dilute solution in mixtures of dibenzyl ether and n-tetradecane. Good results are obtained by using a polymer fraction with a degree of polymerization of 60 and a mixture of 70% n-tetradecane and 30% dibenzyl ether at 245°C. The lamellar crystals produced are lozenge-shaped with the longer diagonal parallel to the a axis of the lattice and with {110} as the growth faces. Twin growth occurs frequently with {110} as a twinning plane and less frequently with {210}.