Solubility of various types of cellulose in ionic liquids

The process of dissolving various types of cellulose in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and acetate was investigated. We determined the maximum amount of cellulose that completely dissolved in the liquids mentioned above in certain conditions of the dissolution process. The dissolution ability of various types of cellulose was related to some of its properties, such as fractional composition, the degree of polymerisation (DP) and the type of supermolecular structure. The dissolution process was observed and recorded by means of an optical microscope equipped with an object stage (heated up to 120°C) and CCD camera coupled to a computer.