The effect of quaternary ammonium base adsorbates on the molecular and morphological structure of microcrystalline cellulose

In order to obtain multicomponent polymer systems exhibiting biological act ivity, microcrystalline cellulose was used as a matrix for biologically act ive compounds, such as dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride, poly-N-vinylpy rrolidone, copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and crotonic acid, and polymer c omplex of dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride with copolymer of N-vinylpyr rolidone and crotonic acid. Adsorption interaction of microcrystalline cell ulose with these compounds was studied under various conditions. Adsorption isotherms of compounds of polymer nature are of similar character and are described by the Freundlich equation. The isotherms of the low molecular we ight compound dimethylbenzylalkylammonium are described by the Langmuir equ ation. Characteristics of the resulting compounds were obtained using X-ray photoelectron and infrared Fourier spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffract ometry and scanning electron microscopy. Chemical interaction between micro crystalline cellulose and dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride takes place. This interaction leads to a new labile morphological cellulose structure a ccessible to penetration, which is confirmed at a morphological level by sc anning electron microscopy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reser ved.