Optimized methods for obtaining cellulose and cellulose sulfates from birch wood

The methods of obtaining cellulose and cellulose sulfates from birch wood based on the use of one-step catalytic delignification of wood by hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid–water medium were studied. The conditions of birch wood oxidative delignification by acetic acid/hydrogen peroxide mixtures in the presence of sulfuric acid catalyst were optimized in order to obtain an acceptable yield of cellulose product with low content of residual lignin. Cellulose extracted from birch wood by green method was used for preparation of cellulose sulfates in dioxane solution. The homogeneous sulfation of obtained cellulose by chlorosulfonic acid in dioxane allows to reduce the fragmentation of polymer and to synthesize cellulose sulfates with a finer and more homogeneous structure as compared to cellulose sulfates prepared by heterogeneous sulfation in harmful pyridine. Obtained samples of cellulose and cellulose sulfates were characterized by XRD, SEM, AFM, NMR, FTIR, Raman, XPS and chemical methods.