Water absorption and ion exchange properties of some derivatives of peroxyacid viscose grade pulp

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to study some chemical reactions of viscose grade pulp (alpha cellulose around 96 per cent) prepared by preoxyacetic acid pulping of bagasse for the preparation of some cellulose derivatives.Design methodology approach - Viscose grade pulp was prepared by using ecological chemicals. The viscose grade pulp was subjected to some chemical reactions (e.g. carboxymethylation, cyanoethylation and phosphorylation reactions). The pulping and bleaching which are two important stages involved in the complex process of converting fibrous raw material (bagasse) into viscose grade pulp are also investigated in this paper.Findings - The viscose pulp prepared by peroxyacid pulping of bagasse was subjected to a number of chemical reactions such as: hydrogel and fibrous carboxymethyl cellulose; cyanoethyl cellulose, in which this cyanoethylcellulose (of gel properties) was prepared, the hydrophobic character of the cyanoethylcellulose was changed into hydrophilic character via hydrolysis by NaOH (2.5 per cent w v) which converts some of the CN groups into COOH; and cellulose phosphate. Infrared spectroscopy of these derivatives was studied. New bands were observed at 3,120, 2,251, 1,200 and 980 cm−1 which characterised to groups, respectively.Originality value - The paper documents the preparation of some cellulose derivatives which have high water absorption and can be used as hydrogel materials such as carboxymethyl and hydrolysed cyanoethyl cellulose and ion exchange properties.