Dielectric and Hydration Study of Aqueous Cellulose Derivative Solutions

Abstract

Dielectric and hydration studies have been done on hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) (Molecular weight 1261 g/mole) in 15 centipoise (cPs) and 50 cPs and methyl cellulose (MC) (Molecular weight 454 g/mole) in 450 cPs and 4000 cPs aqueous solutions using a time domain reflectometry technique. The static dielectric constant, density, and hydration numbers were determined at various concentrations. The results revealed that the formation of bound water molecules around the cellulose derivative (CD) decreased with increasing concentrations of the CD. The higher value of the hydration number of the CD suggested that water-CD interactions were stronger in aqueous solutions of CD at the lower concentration of the solute; i.e., the CD-water interactions were progressively weaker as the CD concentration was increased.

Keywords:

• hydration number; hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose; methyl cellulose; time domain reflectometry

Acknowledgment

The author, Saknure S.H., would like to express his gratitude to the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaja Research, Training, and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) for giving him the Chief Minister Special Research Fellowship – 2021. (CMSRF-2021).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The financial support from the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, is gratefully acknowledged (project no. DST PROJECT-SB/S2/LOP-032/2013).