Silicone-modified cellulose. Crosslinking of the cellulose acetate with 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane by Pt-catalyzed dehydrogenative coupling

Cellulose acetate was reacted with different amounts of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane in presence of Karstedt’s catalyst, in solution, by using dry acetone as a solvent. A dehydrocoupling reaction between Si-H and C-OH groups with H2 evolving and the formation of Si-O-C bond occured, as proved by FTIR and NMR spectra, having as a result the crosslinking of cellulose derivative. A model reaction was followed online by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Morphological changes as a result of the siloxane coupling to the cellulose derivative were emphasized by Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM). The surface (water contact angle and water vapor sorption capacities) and mechanical properties (breaking strength, breaking strain and Young modulus) of the networks processed as films were investigated and the results were correlated with the reactants ratios.