Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose and Konjac Glucomannan Blend Film from Ionic Liquid

National Natural Science Foundation of China [20844006]Blend films from cellulose and konjac glucomannan (KGM) in room temperature ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride were satisfactorily prepared by coagulating with water. The composition of the blend films was gravimetrically analyzed, and the compatibility of the two natural polymers was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The results indicate good compatibility and strong interactions between cellulose and KGM, resulting in almost no loss of the water-soluble KGM from the blend films even after the water coagulating and washing. However, microstructure analyses portrayed phase separations in the blend films, namely, egg-like new phase particles were embedded in a continuous matrix base (MB). Phase diagram analysis and differential scanning calorimetry of the phase inversion coagulation process suggest that relative low molecular mass part of both cellulose and KGM formed the continuous MB, whereas the egg-like new phase particles were super patterns of relative high molecular mass of both polymers, which played an important role in strengthening the blend material. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1686-1694, 200