Abstract:

The article presents a method to prepare films by casting solutions of cellulose in ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [emim][OAc]. Cotton linters and a hydrothermally treated (HT) wood cellulose pulp were used in the investigation. The film was cast from solutions with cellulose concentrations of 2.0, 5.0, 6.0, 10.0 and 14.0 wt% in [emim][OAc] at temperatures in the range of 20 - 80 °C. The influence of the cellulose concentration, composition of the coagulation bath and temperature of the solution and coagulation bath upon the mechanical properties and morphology of the cellulose films were examined. Samples of transparent cellulose film were prepared with a low polydispersity index (PDI) of 2.2, and satisfactory mechanical properties: strength up to 103 MPa and elongation of 30%.