Swelling and crystalline complex formation of cellulose in inorganic molten salt hydrates

Cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer, has a tightly packed crystalline structure stabilized by van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds. This limits its solubility in most common solvents and its industrial applications. A better understanding of cellulose-solvent interactions is vital to improve the processability of cellulose. Inorganic molten salt hydrates such as ZnCl2 hydrates and LiSCN hydrates are a class of cellulose solvents that recently attracted increasing scientific attention due to their nontoxicity, low cost, and recyclability. In this proposal, we aim to elucidate the crystal structure of cellulose/ZnCl2 complex and the molecular interactions between cellulose and ZnCl2 hydrates using in-situ small and wide-angle X-ray scattering (S/WAXS) technique. Such knowledge will lay a foundation for understanding and optimizing the swelling and dissolution of cellulose in molten salt hydrates for industrial applications.