AbstractsChemistry

A number of studies of the properties of cellulose and of the cellulose-water system have been made in this laboratory. The general aim of this investigation was to obtain further information by means of heats of wetting measurements. Several different studies were made and for purposes of clarity are presented in separate sections. A new technique for the determination of the heat of wetting of bone dry cellulose was developed; using this method the value for the heat of wetting of standard cotton was measured. A study of the hysteresis effect observed in water sorption was made by measuring the heats of wetting of cellulose containing various amounts of water, left both as the result of adsorption from the dry state, and as the result of desorption from saturated conditions. Measurements were made of the heat of wetting of sulphite pulp at different temperatures between 9° and 30ºC. Further measurements were made in the same temperature range using pulp containing a small amount of adsorbed water. The heats of wetting of standard cellulose that had been subjected to severe mechanical treatment were determined. The treatment included compressing, pounding and shredding. The heats of wetting of a number of different pulp sample B were measured.