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Title:	Electrodeposition of cellulose and carboxy-methylcellulose
Author:	Driesens, Charles Edward, Jr.
View Online:	njit-etd1956-004 ([5], 98 pages ~ 5.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Chemical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Mantell, C. L. (Committee chair) Keeffe, George C. (Committee member) Joffe, Joseph (Committee member)
Date:	1956-06
Keywords:	Cellulose -- Electric properties Electrochemistry
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The previous work done by Frank Cozzarelli on the eleotrodeposition of cellulose from a sodium zincate-urea-cellulose system has been verified, except that zinc was found to deposit on the cathode at all voltages and current densities within the range of the optimum conditions for deposition. The optimum conditions are: voltage - 1.10 to 1.28 volts; current density 0.13 to 1.10 amperes/square foot; electrode material - copper. Current efficiencies range from 0.80 to 5.53%. A chelate-like complex formed from the sodium zincate and urea which couples with the cellulose has been proposed as a possible explaination of the mechanism governing the electrodeposition of cellulose; the proposal is based on analtyical data obtained on deposits. The optimum conditions for the electrodeposition of both medium viscosity and high viscosity grades of carboxymethylcellulose have been determined and are: voltage - 2.50 to 3.00 volts; current - 42 to 66 milliamperes; current density 0.47 to 0.75 amperes/square foot; electrode material - copper or nickel. Current efficiencies found were: for medium viscosity - 0.186 to 0.213%; for high viscosity 0.084 to 0.098%. The electrochemical equations governing the deposition have been determined from analytical data obtained during the study. The mathematical relationship far current and voltage, and for current and weight of deposition for both grades of carboxymethylcellulose have been derived; the average deviation obtained in using the relationships for computations is 8%.