CELLULOSE ETHER HAVING RHEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTIC SIMILAR TO THAT OF GEL AND ITS PRODUCING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cellulose ether having rheological characteristics similar to that of gel and its producing method. SOLUTION: The cellulose ether is obtained by following steps: (a) cellulose is alkalized by an aqueous solution of an alkaline metal hydroxide contained in a suspension medium; (b) the alkalized cellulose is reacted with at least one kind of alkylene oxides; (c) and then is reacted with an alkyl halide contained in a suspension medium; (d) subsequently or at the same time, the alkalized cellulose is reacted with 0.0001 to 0.05 eq of a crosslinking agent, wherein the unit "eq" represents the mol ratio of the crosslinking agent to the anhydrous glucose unit (AGU) of the cellulose used; (e) more alkaline metal hydroxide and/or alkalizing agent is added if necessary and then an obtained cellulose derivative irreversibly crosslinked is separated from the reaction mixture and, if necessary, purified and dried. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO