Abstract:

Wood and other plant raw materials could be converted to thermoplastic material by benzylation. Pulp cellulose was benzylated by using benzyl chloride as etherifying agent. Effects of reaction time and reaction temperature on degree of substitution (DS) of the products were studied. DS of the product increase under longer reaction time or higer reaction temperature. Products were characterized by FTIR, DSC, X-ray diffraction, etc. It showed some of hydroxyl of the products was substituted by benzyl, crystal was destroyed and thermal stability of the products descended slightly. Vicat softening point and melting temperature of the products were tested and the results revealed that thermoplasticization of the products improve with its DS. Rate constant of reaction of pulp cellulose benzylation under different reaction temperature was ascertained. Activation energy of cellulose benzylation was calculated, it was 46.1 kJ·mol^-1.

Key words: pulp, substituting degree, benzylation, kinetics, thermoplasticization