Batch effects, water content and aqueous/organic solvent reactivity of microcrystalline cellulose samples

The structural, morphological and surface features on two MCC powders of th e same commercial type (Avicel PH 102), but coming from different countries (The Netherlands and Hong Kong) and vendors (DMV International and Mingtai Chemical Co., Ltd., respectively), have been investigated and compared, by means of the X-ray diffraction, SEM and BET and polymerization degree dete rmination. TGA and water sorption from saturated vapor experiments have bee n applied to characterize and compare the MCC/water interactions of the two samples. The results were integrated by studies of preferential sorption f rom binary aqueous/organic solvents. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.