Moisture uptake in native cellulose – the roles of different hydrogen bonds: a dynamic FT-IR study using deuterium exchange

De Borst, K., Hinterstoisser, B. and Salmén, L. (2006) Moisture uptake in native cellulose – the roles of different hydrogen bonds: a dynamic FT-IR study using deuterium exchange. Cellulose, 13(2), pp. 131-145. (doi: 10.1007/s10570-006-9055-2)

Abstract

This paper aims at a better understanding of the interaction between cellulose and moisture. In particular, the role of different hydrogen bonds in moisture uptake is investigated. Dynamic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) has been used in combination with deuterium exchange, which permits the labelling of cellulose domains with different accessibilities. The static spectra indicate a marked exchange of deuterium for the O2–H⋯O6 bonds, but only a limited exchange for the O3–H⋯O5 bonds. In the dynamic FT-IR spectra, deuteration gives rise to the growth of a broad band at wavenumbers around 2500 cm−1. The rather unstructured appearance of the band suggests that deuteration is occurring only on the surface of the cellulose crystallites, i.e. in more or less non-load-carrying parts. This is corroborated by the lack of split peaks related to OD bonds in this band. In agreement with these observations, the split peak related to O3–H⋯O5 bonds and assigned to the load carrying cellulose structure increases during both H2O and D2O moisture conditioning, indicating a shift of the load transfer towards the backbone of the cellulose structure.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: De Borst, Dr Karin
• Authors: De Borst, K., Hinterstoisser, B., and Salmén, L.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment
• Journal Name: Cellulose
• ISSN: 0969-0239
• ISSN (Online): 1572-882X