Thermodynamics of cellulose dissolution in an imidazolium acetate ionic liquidElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The experimental results obtained for the test of the calorimeter and for each calorimetry experiment are reported together with the details concerning the fits of the experimental curves. See DOI: 10.1039/c4cc10249e

The heat of dissolution of cellulose in one imidazolium acetate ionic liquid was determined experimentally. The value of −132 ± 8 J g −1 indicates that the dissolution is exothermal thus confirming energetically favourable cellulose-ionic liquid interactions but indicating that an increase in temperature does not thermodynamically favour the dissolution process. Microcrystalline cellulose dissolves exothermally in acetate-based ionic liquids hence its solubility is thermodynamically less favored at higher temperatures.