THERMAL-BEHAVIOR OF CYANOETHYLATED CELLULOSE

Thermal degradation of cyanoethylated cellulose samples, possessing di fferent degrees of substitution, was investigated using a TGA techniqu e. Pyrolytic degradation of the compounds, except of those of degree o f substitution less than 2.0, exhibited three stages. Higher substitut ed samples passed through four stages. Activation energies, orders of reactions and starting temperatures were estimated for each stage. The introduction of cyanoethyl groups enhances the thermal stability of t he cellulosic fibres. Such stability was shown to increase with increa se of the degree of substitution. X-Ray diffraction patterns of some s elected samples were recorded to show changes in the fibre crystalline structure.