Dual modification of cellulose with esterification and carbonation in DMSO/DBU/CO2 system as fluorescent additive for pH detection

An easy and effective way to synthesize dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives with processability and fluorescence functionality by one-pot modification of successive esterification and carbonation under mild condition is established with the use of DMSO/DBU/CO2 system. Accordingly, four kinds of dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives with rather good fluorescent response are obtained. After blending the synthesized dual-functionalized cellulose derivative with cellulose acetate as functional additive in solution, cast film with the elastic modulus, stress and strain reaches to 2.2 GPa, 34.1 MPa and 5.7% is prepared. Besides, the cast film also exhibits the ability to detect the pH value at 12-14 with detection accuracy of 0.4 through the change of fluorescent color. This research shows a simple but effective way to prepare dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives for the high-quality applications in field of detection.

Automated summary

In this study, an easy and effective method for synthesizing dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives with processability and fluorescence functionality under mild conditions was established. The synthesized derivatives exhibited good fluorescent response and were used as functional additives to prepare cast films with excellent mechanical properties. The cast films also demonstrated the ability to detect pH values.