Abstract
A limiting viscosity number-molecular weight relationship for cellulose in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide at 80℃ has been established in the form of Houwink-Mark-Sakurada's equation. The cellulose samples having a wide range of molecular weight by an acid hydrolysis were acetylated, followed by the fractionation of the cellulose triacetate in methylene chloride-ethyl alcohol system, and the weight average molecular weight of each fraction was evaluated by the sedimentation equilibrium method at 25℃ in acetone. Each fraction was deacetylated, and the limiting viscosity number of the regenerated cellulose was determined in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate solvent at 80℃. The relatioship between the limiting viscosity number, in cm³g-1, and the weight average molecular weight, in g mol-1, was found to be [η]=0.087 Mw0.66.
