This document discusses the preparation and characterization of cellulose fibers for biochemical applications. The objectives are to prepare cellulose acetate fibers through electrospinning, then transform them into cellulose fibers through a deacetylation process. Various techniques are used to characterize the fibers, including SEM, FTIR, and porosity measurements. Preliminary results show that cellulose fibers can be successfully regenerated from cellulose acetate. Future work will further evaluate the electrospinning parameters to control fiber porosity for protein separation applications.

1. Preparation and Characterization of
Cellulose Fibers for Biochemical
Applications
Delaine Zayaz-Bazán 1 , José A. Cruz-Arzón 1 , Nelson Granda-Paz 1 , and Wilfredo OtañoRivera 3,4
1-Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Puerto Rico
1-Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
3- Department of Physics-Mathematics, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Puerto Rico
4-Institute for Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2. Problem
• Is it possible to prepare electrospun cellulose
fibers that could be used for separation of
proteins producing high flow and mass transfer?

3. Objectives
• Prepare cellulose acetate fibers by electrospinning and
transform them into cellulose by a deacetylation process
• Characterize fibers by SEM and FTIR among other
techniques.
• Evaluate chemical and physical electrospinning process
parameters in order to craft porosity of cellulose fibers.

4. Basic Concepts
Cellulose Acetate
Cellulose
• Molar Mass 30,000
• Molar Mass  600,000
• Density 1.3 g/cm3
• Density  1.5 g/cm3

5. • Cellulose Acetate for fiber synthesis
• Cellulose for protein separation

6. Methodology

7. Methodology
+
Cellulose acetate
Acetone/DMF/EtOH
Cellulose
21% sol

8. Electrospinning
• Typical conditions
▫ Distance: 18 cm
▫ 20.0 kV
▫ 0.5 mL/ hr

9. Results

10. Results
21% CA fibers

11. Fiber Diameter
Average 693 ±306

12. Deacetylation
OHRegenerated
Cellulose Membrane

13. FTIR Analysis
1
AC.jws.dx
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
Transmittance
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
5000
1745
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
Wavenumbers [1/cm]
2000
1500
1000
500

14. FTIR Analysis
1740

15. Deacetylation
• Cellulose Acetate
Esther
Functional Group
• Cellulose
Hydroxyl Group

16. FTIR Analysis
0.14
control #2 C Vibha Smooth.jws.dx smoothed smoothed
m#D CR.jws.dx smoothed smoothed
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
Transmittance
0.04
0.02
1640
0
-0.02
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
W avenumbers [1/cm]
2000
1500
1000
500
0

17. Regenerated vs. Comercial Cellulose

18. Porosity Measurements
±9

19. Conclusions
• The work is still going on
▫ The preliminary results show that cellulose can be
regenerated from the acetate
• Future Works

20. Acknowledgements
• UPR at Cayey
• RISE Program
• NAMAS Lab
• Our Lab Group
• Professor Vibha Bansal

21. Thank You
Questions?