KINETIC-STUDY OF THE CARBOXYMETHYLATION OF CELLULOSE

The kinetics of carboxymethylation of mercerized Na-cellulose was stud ied in a laboratory-scale batch reactor operating at atmospheric press ure and at temperatures in the range 30-80-degrees-C. Based on the exp erimental data a bimolecular kinetic model for carboxymethylation was developed. The model takes into account the decline of the intrinsic a ctivities of the hydroxyl groups of cellulose as the substitution proc eeds. The parameters of the kinetic model were determined by regressio n analysis, and the model described well the experimentally determined carboxymethylation kinetics. The distribution of mono-, di-, and tris ubstituted anhydroglucose units in (carboxymethyl)cellulose was simula ted using the parameters of the kinetic model.