Alkaline degradation description

Certainly, oxidative, acidic and alkaline degradation of cellulose must be included in any description of the modification of cellulose and indeed some commercially important products (e.g. microciystalline cellulose) are prepared by these reactions. 

Figure 11.17 Schematic description of the degradation of sisal fibres in concrete, by the decomposition and dissoiution of the middle lamellae in the alkaline porewater (after Gram [9]).

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