The solution characteristics of nitrated bacterial cellulose in acetone

Abstract

The intrinsic viscosities of a new potential nitrocellulose substitute, nitrated bacterial cellulose (NBC) with different nitrogen content, were investigated by the solution viscometry measurements. NBC's molecular characteristics were determined by gel permeation chromatography with a multiangle laser light scattering photometer (GPC-MALLS), and its shape was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). We found that NBC's intrinsic viscosities and molecular weights increased with the increase in nitrogen content in the range of 11.97–12.88 wt%. The nitrogen content and molecular weight of NBC greatly affect its molecular characteristics in the solution, and its intrinsic viscosity is determined by its molecular weight. NBC possesses a stiff molecular chain in a dilute acetone solution and its molecular shape was observed to be spherical. This result was verified by the subsequently recorded AFM images and in accordance with the molecular dynamics simulations. The obtained data could be used to study the NBC molding process.