Syntheses and Characterization of Cellulose, Xylan and Glucomannan Derivatives and their Applications

Synthesis and characterization of cellulose, xylan and glucomannan derivatives and their properties are studied for applications. Various end-functionalized cellulose derivatives were prepared by introduction of functional groups at the reducing-end. Preparation and characterization of cellulose diblock copolymers, graft copolymers with cellulose side-chains, cellulose-self-assembled gold nanoparticles and amphiphilic cellulose derivatives are described, and their self-assembled nanostructures were investigated. Xylan and glucomannan ester derivatives or graft copolymers were synthesized with the goal of using hemicellulose as a plastic material. Xylan and glucomannan esters formed transparent films and their mechanical properties were dependent on the alkyl chain length and degree of substitution. The xylan esters were found to work as excellent nuclei for poly(lactic acid).