Preparation of Macroporous Cellulose Gel Using Mixed Diluents and Their Properties

Abstract

Cellulose acetate butyrate in mixed solvents consisting mainly of dichloromethane and mixed diluents, which contain ester and alcohol, was suspended in an aqueous solution of poly (vinyl alcohol) to form droplets. Dichloromethane in the droplets was removed by evaporation to obtain cellulose acetate butyrate beads containing the mixed diluents. The beads thus obtained were saponified so as to remove the mixed diluents subsequently to prepare macroporous cellulose beads. The macroporous cellulose beads obtained were crosslinked with (chloromethyl) oxirane. By adjusting the preparation conditions, macroporous cellulose beads with the exclusion molecular weight ( (0.5-4.5)×10⁶) were prepared. In addition, the packings with the diameter of 32-105 μm exhibit a excellent pressure-resisting property. The macroporous cellulose beads obtained were found to be useful as packing materials for gel chromatography.