Chain dynamics and thermal stability of trifluoroacetylated ethyl cellulose

Trifluoroacetyl ethyl cellulose (TFAEC) was prepared by reaction of ethyl c ellulose (EC) with trifluoroacetic anhydride. The effect of the trifluoroac etylation on the chain dynamics and thermal stability of the ethyl cellulos e was investigated. Chain dynamics of TFAEC were investigated using the H-1 spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T-1p(H)). The trifluor oacetylation reduced the mobility of the polymeric glucose chain. The appar ent activation energies (E-a) of degradation under nitrogen and air were ev aluated by differential and integral methods. The value of E-a of TFAEC und er nitrogen was affected by the equivalent ratio of trifluoroacetic anhydri de to EC, while that under air was less affected. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.