Abstract
In the X-ray study of cyanoethyl cellulose filaments1, made from products of varying cyanoethyl content, it has been found possible to identify at least two forms of crystalline structure. Fig. 1 is an X-ray diagram of filaments made from alkali-soluble material, containing in this case 2.0 per cent nitrogen, corresponding to a substitution of less than one group per glucose residue in the cellulose. The X-ray diagram can be seen to be somewhat similar to that of hydrate cellulose; the normal repeat of pattern of 10.3 A. (approximately) of the cellobiose residue is retained along the fibre axis. It is most probable that the substitution of the cellulose occurs throughout the whole structure, and in these circumstances the obvious falling off in definition of the X-ray diagram is due to distortion of the crystalline lattice, caused by the replacement of certain of the (OH) groups by (OC2H4CN) groups. Fig. 2 is an X-ray diagram of acetone-soluble cyanoethyl cellulose filaments containing on an average 2.73 groups per glucose residue; complete cyanoethylation can be represented by the formula: (C6H7O2.(O.C2H4CN)3)n. A preliminary study of this fibre diagram has shown that the crystal structure is built up in the following way.
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Courtaulds, Ltd., and MacGregor, J. H., Brit. Pat. 588, 751; and Brit. Pat. Applic. No. 34, 508/1945.
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HAPPEY, F., MACGREGOR, J. Crystal Structure of Cyanoethyl Cellulose. Nature 160, 907 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1038/160907a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/160907a0
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