RELATION BETWEEN LOW-FREQUENCY DIELECTRIC BEHAVIOR OF CELLULOSIC MATERIALS AND THEIR INORGANIC CONTAMINATIONS

Results are given for dielectric constant and loss factor of some cellulosic materials of different fine structure free of and contaminated with water-soluble inorganic salts in the frequency range 0.1-100 kc/s and at temperatures 283.15-333.15 K. The analysis of the results reveals that the dielectric dispersion and loss peak found before with medicated cotton and viscose rayon, of ash contents of 0.3 and 1.4% respectively, disappear when these fibers have been "cleaned up" from inorganic impurities by acid washes. These anomalous dielectric behaviours reappear again with "cellulose-inorganic salts" admixtures. Based on these findings, it has been concluded that the secondary relaxation process observed in the low-frequency region 0.1-1 kc/s with cellulosic materials contaminated with inorganic impurities is not intrinsic but extrinsic in nature due to the displacement of ions adsorbed in the inner surfaces of such interstitial conduction system.