Cellulose acetate, properties

Carollo P (2004) In Rustemeyer P (ed) Cellulose Acetates Properties and Applications. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, p 335... 

Rustemeyer P (ed.) (2004) Cellulose acetates properties and applications, Macromol Symp 208. Wiley, Weinheim... 

Chem. Descrip. Cetethyl morpholinium ethosulfate CAS 78-21-7 EINECS/ELINCS 201-094-8 Uses Antistat, combing aid and detangling agent for hair care textile lubricant odor counteractant antistatic coating for cellulose acetate Properties Amber clear liq. 35% act. 

Hummel, A. (2004) Industrial processes, in Cellulose Acetates Properties and Applications (ed. P. Rustemeyer),WUey-VCH, Weinheim, pp. 61-79. 

The predominant cellulose ester fiber is cellulose acetate, a partially acetylated cellulose, also called acetate or secondary acetate. It is widely used in textiles because of its attractive economics, bright color, styling versatiUty, and other favorable aesthetic properties. However, its largest commercial appHcation is as the fibrous material in cigarette filters, where its smoke removal properties and contribution to taste make it the standard for the cigarette industry. Cellulose triacetate fiber, also known as primary cellulose acetate, is an almost completely acetylated cellulose. Although it has fiber properties that are different, and in many ways better than cellulose acetate, it is of lower commercial significance primarily because of environmental considerations in fiber preparation. 

Fig. 2. Cellulose acetate stress—strain properties at standard and wet conditions, tested at 60% min extension rate, 3.9 cm gauge length. Sample conditions standard, 21°C, 65% rh wet, 21°C, water wet. To convert N/tex to gf/den, multiply by 11.33.

Uses. Diacetone alcohol is a widely used solvent in the coatings industry where it finds appHcation in hot lacquers which require high boiling components, and in bmshing lacquers where its mild odor, blush resistance, and flow-out properties are desired. Diacetone alcohol is also a solvent for nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, and epoxy resins. 

Cellulose acetate Loeb-Sourirajan reverse osmosis membranes were introduced commercially in the 1960s. Since then, many other polymers have been made into asymmetric membranes in attempts to improve membrane properties. In the reverse osmosis area, these attempts have had limited success, the only significant example being Du Font s polyamide membrane. For gas separation and ultrafUtration, a number of membranes with useful properties have been made. However, the early work on asymmetric membranes has spawned numerous other techniques in which a microporous membrane is used as a support to carry another thin, dense separating layer. 

Other blends such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) with cellulose acetate (208), PHA with polycaprolactone (209), poly(lactic acid) with poly(ethylene glycol) (210), chitosan and cellulose (211), poly(lactic acid) with inorganic fillers (212), and PHA and aUphatic polyesters with inorganics (213) are receiving attention. The different blending compositions seem to be limited only by the number of polymers available and the compatibiUty of the components. The latter blends, with all natural or biodegradable components, appear to afford the best approach for future research as property balance and biodegradabihty is attempted. Starch and additives have been evaluated ia detail from the perspective of stmcture and compatibiUty with starch (214). 

Mixed cellulose esters containing the dicarboxylate moiety, eg, cellulose acetate phthalate, have commercially useful properties such as alkaline solubihty and excellent film-forming characteristics. These esters can be prepared by the reaction of hydrolyzed cellulose acetate with a dicarboxyhc anhydride in a pyridine or, preferably, an acetic acid solvent with sodium acetate catalyst. Cellulose acetate phthalate [9004-38-0] for pharmaceutical and photographic uses is produced commercially via the acetic acid—sodium acetate method. 

The common commercial products are the primary (triacetate) and the secondary (acetone-soluble, ca 39.5% acetyl, 2.45 DS) acetates they are odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic. Their properties depend on the combined acetic acid content (acetyl, see Table 1 and Figure 4) and molecular weight. Solubihty characteristics of cellulose acetates with various acetyl contents are given in Table 4. 

Cellulose acetate with improved solubiUty properties can be prepared from low quaUty wood pulps by multistage addition of the components (97) or by intermpting the reaction in the early stages, filtering, and continuing the acetylation with fresh reactants (98,99). 

The cellulose esters with the largest commercial consumption are cellulose acetate, including cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose acetate propionate. Cellulose acetate is used in textile fibers, plastics, film, sheeting, and lacquers. The cellulose acetate used for photographic film base is almost exclusively triacetate some triacetate is also used for textile fibers because of its crystalline and heat-setting characteristics. The critical properties of cellulose acetate as related to appHcation are given in Table 10. 

Table 10. Uses and Critical Properties of Cellulose Acetate ...

The important features of rigidity and transparency make the material competitive with polystyrene, cellulose acetate and poly(methyl methacrylate) for a number of applications. In general the copolymer is cheaper than poly(methyl methacrylate) and cellulose acetate, tougher than poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene and superior in chemical and most physical properties to polystyrene and cellulose acetate. It does not have such a high transparency or such food weathering properties as poly(methyl methacrylate). As a result of these considerations the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers have found applications for dials, knobs and covers for domestic appliances, electrical equipment and car equipment, for picnic ware and housewares, and a number of other industrial and domestic applications with requirements somewhat more stringent than can be met by polystyrene. 

Although acetylation thus renders the cellulosic structure soluble, cellulose acetate will still decompose below its softening point. It is thus necessary to compound cellulose acetate with plasticisers in order to obtain plastics materials of suitable flow properties. Other ingredients are also added at the same time. 

Although the prime function of plasticisers in cellulose acetate is to bring the processing temperature of the compound below the polymer decomposition temperature, it has additional values. An increase in the plasticiser content will reduce the melt viscosity at a given temperature and simplify processing. The physical properties of the finished product will be modified, increasing toughness... 

Of these dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is used in most compositions. It is cheap, has a high compatibility with secondary cellulose acetate and is efficient in increasing flexibility, toughness and the ease of flow at a given temperature. Its principal disadvantages are its high volatility and the fact that it increases the flammability of the compound. Similar in compatibility but rather less volatile is diethyl phthalate. This material has less of an influence on flexibility and flow properties than the methyl ester. 

A wide range of cellulose acetate compounds are commercially available. The properties of these compounds depend on three major factors ... 

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