Electrosorption of sodium cellulose sulfates with different substitution patterns

Various types of sodium cellulose sulfate (SCS), dissolved in a 1M LiCl solution, were investigated by alternating current (AC)polarography. The SCS samples differed in the degree of substitution (DS), thedistribution of substituents within the anhydroglucose unit (AGU), and alongthechain, due to the method of synthesis. The goal was to study theelectrosorptionbehavior, characterized by the shape of the desorption wave in the polarogram,as a function of the chemical structure of the SCS samples. The shape of thedesorption wave reflects domains of different substitution. A superimpositionofparameters like DS and pattern of substitution on the electrosorption behaviorwas observed. The AC polarography method described can be used as a tool todistinguish between an even or uneven distribution of substituents along thecellulose chain.