Cellulose structure evolution at ionic liquid solution / coagulant interface

We study the structure formation of cellulose from solution in two types of ionic liquid, namely AmimCl and BmimAc, at the interface with various non-solvents and conditions by scanning small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS) measurements across the interface. We monitor the diffusion of non-solvents into the solution by quantifying the composition from the broad, wide-angle liquid scattering feature that we calibrate on pure solvent mixtures. The small angle X-ray scattering will provide information on the structure evolution ~100 nm length scale, whereas the diffraction peak shapes in the wide-angle region provide the crystallization kinetics. he effect of alkali treatment known to enhance the mechanical properties of regenerated cellulose will also be studied by creating a cellulose-gel/ alkali interface and following the scattering features evolution across the interface as a function of time and position.