Influence of short-term thermal pretreatment on the rate of acidolysis of cellulose

Cotton and regenerated cellulose had been hydrolyzed under acid conditions on thermally pretreated and untreated samples. Three to four times higher rate constants could be calculated from the loss in DP of the acid-hydrolyzed thermally pretreated cellulose. Loss in humidity regain as well as dyestuff uptake could be observed on the same samples. Consequently the increase in the rate of hydrolysis cannot be ascribed to accessibility changes. No correlation could be found between the increased rate of reaction and the acid adsorption or the rate of its diffusion. Not enough chemical changes could be detected in the cellulose for the wanted explanation.