Thermal behavior of cellulose and some cellulose derivatives

Cellulose, cyanoethyl cellulose, grafted cellulose, and grafted cyanoethyl cellulose derivatives of different nitrogen contents underwent thermal trea tment. Nitrogen content and the treatment during preparation played a role in the thermal behavior of the cellulose derivatives. Increasing the nitrog en content resulted in a decrease in the decomposition temperature of cellu lose derivatives. Also, the cyanoethyl cellulose, although it had a lower n itrogen content than grafted cellulose, had a decomposition temperature low er than grafted cellulose. The rate constant (min(-1)) of weight loss cause d by thermal degradation decreased by increasing the nitrogen content and i t has the following order: cellulose > cyanoethyl cellulose > grafted cellu lose > grafted cyanoethyl cellulose. The activation energy had the followin g order: cellulose > grafted cellulose > cyanoethyl cellulose > > grafted c yanoethyl cellulose. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.