Influence of electrolytes on the hydration of methylcellulose in solution

Abstract

Light-scattering techniques were used to obtain weight-average molecular weights for three grades of methylcellulose in water. On addition of electrolyte to the polymer solutions the molecular weight was not found to alter but the root-mean-square end-to-end length decreased. This contrasts with the results of Neely (1963). The exponent α of the Mark-Houwink viscosity equation was also found to decrease in the presence of electrolyte. Two stages of polymer dehydration are suggested for non-ionic cellulose ether derivatives.