PREPARATION AND UTILIZATION OF CELLULOSE SUBSTRATES REGENERATED AFTER TREATMENT WITH HYDROCHLORIC-ACID

A versatile method for the preparation of amorphous, hydrochloric acid regenerated, cellulose substrates is described. The procedure involves dispersion of microcrystalline cellulose in reagent grade HCl at room temperature, cellulose dissolution via temperature reduction to -30-degrees-C, and substrate regeneration in cold water or acetone. The substrates degree of polymerization may be varied by altering a hydrolysis period following cellulose dissolution. The relative crystallinity of the substrates may be varied by modifying the drying techniques used following substrate regeneration. The hydrochloric acid regenerated substrates are highly susceptible to cellulase-catalyzed saccharification when compared to commercial cellulose powders. The substrates are free of the inorganic esters common to other acid-swollen/regenerated cellulose preparations. The presented dispersion-dissolution procedure is also readily applicable to the preparation of soluble cellodextrins, allowing their preparation without the utilization of fuming hydrochloric acid.