Rheological studies of high-concentration cellulose sulfate-acetate solutions

With the method of homogeneous synthesis, various salt forms of cellulose sulfate-acetate containing Li+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, and Co2+ as compensating cations have been obtained. The flow curves, the concentration and temperature dependences of the shear viscosity of aqueous solutions of cellulose sulfate-acetate have a form characteristic of liquid-crystal systems. For solutions of all salts except for potassium salt, spontaneous formation of the anisotropic phase in the form of individual spherulites, spherulite bands, structures of the fingerprint type, and other more complex formations has been registered. A new hydrodynamic criterion that permits predicting the realization of lyotropic mesomorphism in solutions of cellulose derivatives is proposed.