Cellulose dissolution and regeneration using a non-aqueous, non-stoichiometric protic ionic liquid system

The solubility of cellulose has been studied as a function of composition in the binary mixture of 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine and propionic acid. In amine-rich compositions, greater quantities of cellulose can be dissolved than in the equimolar composition, a.k.a. the protic ionic liquid [TMGH][OPr]. By applying a methodology of a short period of heating followed by cooling, similar concentrations of cellulose can be achieved in a much shorter time period. Finally, regeneration of cellulose from solution can be achieved by altering the acid:amine molar ratio. In comparison to cellulose regenerated from these solutions using water as an antisolvent, cellulose regenerated with propionic acid exhibit a lower crystallinity as inferred from x-ray diffractometry, but a greater average molecular weight as inferred from gel permeation chromatography.