Cellulose is an organic polymer composed of glucose units bonded together in a linear chain. It is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth and a major component of plant cell walls. Cellulose provides structure and strength to plants and is composed of repeating glucose units bonded together by beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds. It is insoluble in water and most organic solvents. Common sources of cellulose include wood, cotton, bamboo, and plant fibers. Cellulose has many industrial uses including in paper products, textiles like rayon, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels.

1. Cellulose
Prepared By:
Md. Arifuzzaman Arif
Student ID: 130538
Forestry & Wood Technology
Discipline
Khulna University

2.  𝜷,1-4, D-Anhydro-glucopyranose units
Composed of glucose molecules.
Liner homopolymer of Glucose.
Organic polysaccharide.
Molecular formula (C6H10O5 )n.
Carbohydrate, composed of Carbon, Oxygen and
Hydrogen.
Cellulose

3. Cellulose
* Important structural component of cell wall.
* Some species of bacteria secrete it.
* Most abundant organic polymer on Earth.
* Cellulose content of wood is 40–50%

5. Cotton: 95-99%
Bamboo: 40-50%
Wood: 40-50%
Barks: 20-30%
Mosses: 25-30%
Horse tail: 20-25%
Bacteria: 20-30%
Cellulose content

6. History
* Discovered in 1838 by Anselme Payen (French
chemist).
* He isolated it and determined its chemical formula.
* It was used to produce the first successful
thermoplastic polymer by Hyatt Manufacturing
Company in 1870.
“Anselm Payen”

7. Common Features of Cellulose
• Main structural component of the cell wall.
• Naturally occurring, most abundant organic
substance ever.
• Reinforcing material in wood.
• Most promising carbon sequestering device.
• Odorless.
• No taste.
• Density: 1.5 g/cm3
• Melting point: 260–270 °C

8. Chemical Properties
 Chemical formula:(C6H10O5)n;n=degree of
polymerization. n=8000-10000
 There are three alcoholic (-OH) groups which are repeated
n times in a definite pattern.
 When cellulose is completely hydrolysed by means of
acids, cellulose gives glucose.
 Insoluble in water and most organic solvents and
biodegradable.
 Can be broken down chemically into its glucose units.
 Hydrophilic

9. Structure of cellulose
• Cellulose is derived from D-glucose units, which condense
through β(1→4)-glycosidic bonds.
• The multiple hydroxyl groups on the glucose from one
chain form hydrogen bonds with oxygen atoms on the
same or on a neighbor chain, holding the chains firmly
together side-by-side and forming microfibrils with high
tensile strength.

10. Types of Cellulose
According to Source/Processing:
• Cellulose-I: Cellulose which is found in nature.
• Cellulose-II: Native cellulose which has been
soaked in alkali or regenerated cellulose.
• Cellulose-III or IV: Forms of celulose which has
been treated with various reagents.

11. Types of Cellulose
According to chemical nature:
Alpha-cellulose:
That portion of wood cellulose which is insoluble in
cold 17.5% NaOH solution.
DP > 200
Beta-cellulose: Material that precipitates after 17.5%
NAOH neutralized.
DP: 10-200
Gama-celluse: Remaining materials.
DP < 10

12. Cellulose Derivatives
• Cellulose nitrate
• Cellulose acetate
• Methyl cellulose
• Carboxymethyl cellulose

13. Cellulose Nitrate
• Inorganic esters
• Uses
– Ping pong balls
– Lacquers: fingernail polish
– Gun cotton

14. Cellulose Acetate
• Organic ester
• Uses
– Textile fiber
– Plastics (acetates): used to make photographic films, etc.
– Lacquers
CH3 C
O
OCOCH3
CH3 C
OH
OCOCH3
CH3 C
O
OCOCH3
+H + Cell
CH3 C
OH
OCOCH3
CH3 C
O
O
HO Cell
Cell

17. Cellulose Organic Ethers
• Carboxymethyl cellulose, alkyl cellulose (methyl, ethyl),
hydroxyalkyl cellulose
– Mostly used as thickening agents
• example: used to thicken cheap ice cream products
without having to add cream.
Cell O CH2COO
Cl
OCell CH2COO + Cl

18. Rayon
• Pure regenerated cellulose.
• Rayon is manufacture from cellulose xanthate
• Uses
– Fabric (demand for rayon is fashion dependent).
– Fibers in tires.

19. • In crystaline region , Cellulose chains are are arranged parralel
with strong H-bonds made it closely packed.
• In amorphous Region, Cellulose chains are disorganized with
weak bonding.

21. Determination of Cellulose
• There are three ways to determine the amount of
cellulose in plant matter:
– Separate the cellulose from hemicelluloses in holocellulose
– Separate the cellulose directly from plant matter.
– Hydrolyze the plant matter and determine the sugar contents
of the solutions

22. * Powdered extractive free wood is treated with chlorine gas.
* The presence of moisture and hot sodium sulphite solution.
* Lignin is chlorinated and resulting chlorolignin is dissolved.
* A part of hemicelluloses is dissolved out.
* The residue is termed as Cross and Bevan cellulose.
Determination of Cross and Bevan cellulose

23. Uses of cellulose
• Industrial Sugar, biofuel production, using oil production, ester
production.
• Paper products: Cellulose is the major constituent of Paper,
paperboard and cardstock.
• Pharmaceuticals: Medicines are derived from plants cellulose,
cellulose acetate etc.
• Energy Drinks: Glucuronolacton, vitamins, and carbohydrates.
• Cotton: composed of 87 -90% cellulose with the cotton fibers
containing polymer chains .
• Bomb: Cellulose trinitrate is used as a propellant for bullets due
the fact that nitrate –OH group can be explosive.

24. Uses of cellulose

25. Cellulose and the Environment
• Cellulose and the Carbon
cycle:
Cellulose can be imagined
as giant carbon “sink”.
Carbon incorporated in
cellulose can remain there
for a long time.
• Cellulose in the oceans:
The majority of cellulose in
the oceans is produced by
unicellular algae or
plankton.
Unicellular plankton

26. Thank you for your worthy patience