Molar masses and molar mass distributions of commercial regenerated cellulose materials and softwood dissolving pulp determined by SEC/MALLS

Abstract The molar masses and mass distributions of three commercial regenerated cellulose samples, viscose rayon, Tencel, Bemliese (or cuprammonium nonwoven), have been determined by dissolution in 8% (w/w) lithium chloride/ N , -dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) subsequent size-exclusion chromatography with multi-angle laser-light scattering detection (SEC/MALLS). Before LiCl/DMAc, the samples were pretreated following methods: (1) soaking ethylene diamine (EDA) solvent exchange to (DMAc) through methanol, (2) water DMAc ethanol, (3) tert-butyl alcohol ethanol freeze dying. dissolved LiCl/DMAc stirring cellulose/LiCl/DMAc mixtures for 1–3 weeks followed dilution 1% (w/v) SEC/MALLS analysis. EDA- water-pretreated gave almost same SEC-elution pattens plots, resulting similar number- mass-average masses. However, freeze-dried 10%‒20% lower recovery ratios than those obtained or probably because incomplete LiCl/DMAc. average degree polymerization values 340, 530, 880, respectively. slopes conformation plots 0.58–0.62, showing that all molecules forming linear random-coil conformations. Graphical abstract