Relaxation and crystallization phenomena of water adsorbed to cellulose

Complete text of publication follows. Cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer whose unit is D-anhydroglucose pyranose, has a tendency to adsorb water due to unsaturated hydroxyl groups in low ordered regions. This adsorbed water is present in the temperature range of 200 K < T < 273 K in different modifications. Due to voids and pores within and between the cellulose fibers, water molecules are able to build crystalline aggregations. Beyond that, water is able to penetrate the low ordered regions [1] and it adsorbs to cellulose chains. As introduced earlier in [2], the adsorbed water freezes to an amorphous like ice, while above T = 200 K an onset of relaxational motion on different time-scales (ns, ps) occurs. Recent neutron diffraction and INS data of water adsorbed to amorphous cellulose are shown as a new model system. Together with earlier experiments, the characteristics of relaxational motions are summarized and similarities to a glass transition of adsorbed water are discussed. (author) [1] J.M. Ioelovits and M. Gordeev, Acta Polymer. 45, 121-123 (1994); [2] J.C. Czihak, M. Mueller, H. Schober, L. Heux, G. Vogl, Physica B 266, 878-91. (1999)