Improved thermal stability of regenerated cellulose films from corn (Zea mays) stalk pith using facile preparation with low-concentration zinc chloride dissolving

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 217; pp. 190 - 198
• Main Authors: Zhang, Heng, Chen, Keli, Gao, Xin, Han, Quanqing, Peng, Lincai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2019
• Subjects: Cellulose regenerated film; Corn stalk; Thermal stability; Zinc chloride; Corn stalk; Zinc chloride; Cellulose regenerated film; Thermal stability
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.10.107

•The objective of this study is produced regenerated cellulose film using corn stalk pith.•Cellulose dissolution using a low concentration zinc chloride solvent.•The results showed that dissolution with low concentration is beneficial to the thermal stability. In this study, an improved facile cellulose dissolution with low chemical concentration process was used for preparing corn stalk pith regenerated cellulose (RC) films. The conventional method usually requires 68% zinc chloride solution for cellulose dissolution. The objective of this study is produced corn stalk pith RC films by using a low-concentration zinc chloride solution with improved thermal stability. The major weight loss peak temperature of RC films was increased from 231 °C to 307 °C as the crystallinity indexes increased from 48.30% to 53.19% by decreased the concentration of zinc chloride solution from 65% to 45%, respectively. The increased thermal stability can create new opportunities for the development of RC films dissolving by zinc chloride solution.