Preparation and Characterization of Regenerated Cellulose from Ionic Liquid Using Different Methods

In this study, regenerated cellulose was prepared from ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Bmim]Ac) solution using anti-solvent compressed CO2 of different pressures. And other anti-solvents like water, ethanol and acetonitrile were also employed to regenerate cellulose to provide comparisons. The two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR), namely heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) and heteronuclear multiple bond coherence (HMBC), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) indicated that carboxylate zwitterions [Bmim(+)-COO(-)] formed through the chemical reactions between CO2 and [Bmim]Ac. Besides, FTIR, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to provided structure characterization of native and regenerated cellulose using different anti-solvents. The results show that the crystallinity of cellulose decreases during the dissolution and regeneration process. And a crystal transformation of cellulose I to cellulose II was verified. The stability of the regenerated cellulose is lower than that of native cellulose. A higher compressed CO2 pressure results in a smoother surface, a thicker shape and a more homogeneous texture of regenerated cellulose.