Katrin Petzold-Welcke

Studies on the fibre surfaces modified with xylan polyelectrolytes

Xylan was isolated from birch wood chips by using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE). The extracted xylan was chemically modified yielding three different xylan derivatives (XDs): xylan sulfate (XS), carboxymethyl xylan (CMX) and xylan-4-[N,N,N-trimethylammonium]butyrate chloride (XTMAB). The structure and molecular weight of XDs was determined by using NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The potential utilization of xylan polyelectrolytes for modifying fibre surfaces was assessed by sorption experiments using bleached pine Kraft pulp as substrate. Polyelectrolyte titration method was chosen for estimating the amount of sorbed XDs onto the fibres. The cationic xylan derivative XTMAB had a strong interaction with fibres while the anionic derivatives did not show any sorption. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) were selected as advanced surface analyses for studying the amount of surface anionic groups and the surface distribution of the XTMAB. XPS and polyelectrolyte titration results suggested that the XTMAB is sorbed onto the fibre surfaces. ToF-SIMS imaging showed that XTMAB was evenly distributed on fibre surfaces.

Synthesis and characterization of aminocellulose sulfates as novel ampholytic polymers

Amino cellulose sulfate (ACS); namely 6-deoxy-6-(ω-aminoethyl) amino cellulose-2,3(6)-O-sulfate (AECS) and 6-deoxy-6-(2-(bis-N′,N′-(2-aminoethyl)aminoethyl)) amino cellulose-2,3(6)-O-sulfate (BAECS) were prepared by a three step synthesis starting with the functionalization of microcrystalline cellulose with p-toluenesulfonyl (tosyl) groups (degree of substitution, DSTos between 0.55 and 1.37). Subsequently the introduction of the sulfate moieties was carried out (DSSulf between 1.09 and 1.27) and the tosyl groups at position 6 were replaced by a nucleophilic substitution reaction. As nucleophilic agents 1,2-diaminoethane and tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine were applied, yielding AECS (DSAEA values between 0.41 and 0.86) and BAECS (DSBAEA values between 0.32 and 0.74), respectively. The ACS samples were characterized by means of elemental analysis, 13C-NMR-, FT-IR-, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Moreover, the solubility of the samples in water at different pH values and the molecular weights of the samples in aqueous solution were studied.

Nanoparticles from conventional cellulose esters: evaluation of preparation methods

Nano-scaled particles were obtained from two different cellulose acetates, cellulose acetate propionate, and cellulose acetate butyrate using the emulsification solvent evaporation procedure and the low energy methods of solvent displacement (dialysis and controlled precipitation). The relationship between the formulation parameters and the particle properties were evaluated in case of the emulsification-evaporation technique. For the solvent displacement procedures, the influence of the formulation parameters, and the intrinsic polymer properties like the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance was evaluated. Comparing the methods, it could be shown that large amounts of small and uniform nanoparticles can be obtained by the emulsification solvent evaporation procedure. The solvent displacement techniques turned out to be very easy to use and to yield narrowly distributed particles as well.

Polysaccharides: Molecular and Supramolecular Structures. Terminology

This chapter summarises important issues about the molecular and supramolecular structure of polysaccharides. It describes the terminology of polysaccharides systematically. The polysaccharides are divided regarding the molecular structures in glucans, polyoses, polysaccharides with amino functions, polysaccharides with acid functions and some miscellaneous. The most important glucans cellulose, (1 → 3)-β-d-glucans, starch, glycogen, dextran and pullulan are discussed. For polyoses, xylans, mannans, xyloglucans and mixed-linkage β-glucans are described. Polysaccharides with amino functions include the description of chitin and chitosan, hyaluronan or hyaluronic acid, glycosaminoglycans and murein. The polysaccharides with acid functions are described including pectins, alginates, agar-agar and carrageenan. Moreover, inulin, levan and xanthan gum are described.