Cellulose gels produced in room temperature ionic liquids by ionizing radiation

Kimura, Atsushi; Nagasawa, Naotsugu; Taguchi, Mitsumasa

Large quantities of polysaccharide-based biomass are ubiquitous on Earth, and they possess unique structures, distinctive properties, and offer the advantages of being non-toxic and biodegradable. Ionizing radiation is widely used as a convenient tool for the modification of the polysaccharides via decomposition, grafting, and cross-linking. Until now, radiation cross-linked materials have only been produced either from polysaccharide derivatives or using cross-linking reagents, as certain natural polysaccharides have poor solubility in water and organic solvents as well as low chemical reactivity. These limitations could possibly be circumvented by the use of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), which can cleave the hydrogen bonds of the polysaccharides to form solutions. In this study, we focus on the application of RTILs as "specific solvents for the dissolution of polysaccharides", and their use in establishing a "proper reaction field for radiation cross-linking". For the first time in this study, we have demonstrated the possibility of producing cellulose gels by -ray irradiation of cellulose in RTILs under humid conditions. The gel fraction could be controlled by adept regulation of following conditions: initial concentration of cellulose, irradiation temperature, water content, and the absorbed dose. The cellulose gel thus obtained had an electronic conductivity of 3.0 mS cm, showing great potential for applications in optoelectronic and medical devices.