• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2013

Acetylated Cellulose Ether (ACE), cellulose-based amphiphilic polymer with hydrophilic and hydrophobic, was synthesized and investigated in terms of its solubility and wettability for organic solvents and water. Acetyl group was substituted to the cellulose ether in a hydrophilic polymer by esterification. As a result of FT-IR, the peak corresponding to the hydroxyl group decreased and carboxyl acid peak increased with increasing reaction time and temperature, which signified the increase in the degree of acetylation of the ACE. There were similar thermal decomposition behaviors before and after esterification reaction until $800^{\circ}C$ so that the reaction occurred without significant structural changes of cellulose backbones. The solubility parameter of the ACE had a range of 18.5~26.4, and its viscosity and turbidity were controlled according to the solubility parameter of organic solvents. The ACE showed the hydrophilicity because the contact angle of the ACE was higher than the cellulose ether. These results confirmed that the ACE had the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity due to the ether which was glucosidic bonding between the glucose units and un-reacted hydroxyl functional groups in the ACE.