Uses of Periodate-oxidized Carbohydrates

The uses of periodate-oxidized carbohydrates are thus far confined to uses for oxycelluloses and, more particularly, oxystarches ( dialdehyde starches ). Following the development of the electrolytic regenerative process for periodic acid, oxystarch has been produced commercially in the United States by the Miles Chemical Company of Elkhart, Indiana. 

The earliest claim, before the development of the electrolytic process, was for the use of oxystarch as a textile sizing-agent because of its alkali-lability, it could easily be removed from the yarn. Another use in textiles is for a highly alkali-soluble lace-backing from periodate-oxidized, cyano-ethylated-cellulose textiles. Because of its aldehydic character, oxystarch has been claimed as a useful tanning agent. - Oxystarches (D.O. 40- 

100%) can be molded to give translucent to semi-transparent articles. Other uses are in the preparation of tobacco sheets having great wet strength,and as a tub-sizing agent in paper manufacture. Methods for the preparation of water-soluble oxystarches by reaction with bisulfites have been described.  

Reaction of oxidized cotton-duck of very low D.O. with phenylhydrazine was found to give a rot-proof material which was, unfortunately, yellow. Oxidized paper of very low D.O. has been treated with Girard P reagent to yield paper of special usefulness in electrophoresis. Periodate-oxidized paper (no D.O. stated) has been claimed to have a greater wet-strength than untreated paper.  

Sugar Research Foundation, Inc., SS Wall Street, New York S, N. Y. 

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