Derivatization of cellulose in homogeneous condition : 1-cellulose propionate

Abstract Samples of cellulose propionate were prepared by reaction of propionyl chloride with cellulose dissolved in dimethylacetamide / 5% LiCl. The values of the substitution degree (DS) as well as the purity of the products were determined. The trend in chain rigidity in terms of the persistence length as a function of DS was obtained by applying the Yamakawa-Fujii method to the intrinsic viscosity values. The rigidity progressively decreases with DS. All the samples keep mesogenic behaviours.