Magnetosensitivity of the Mercerization

Abstract Cold alkaline treatment of cellulose is usually used for wood cellulose enrichment with high-molecular-weight fractions, as they are not soluble even in strong alkali solutions. The processes of the dissolution of hemicelluloses are tightly related to the processes of cellulose structure partial disassembling. Considering recent results on the nature and thermodynamics of the interactions between the chiral and helical molecules and the role of the spin-spin exchange interactions in them, it was very probable that the chemical reactions in the chiral polymer matrix should be magnetosensitive. Trying to verify this assumption and using cold alkaline treatment as an example, we obtained solid experimental confirmations of the magnetosensitivity of this process and found an alternative way of nanocellulose production. The magnetic field as well as other agents promoting the cellulose structure loosening forces the destruction of the polymer at the stage of the supramolecular structure reassembling after removing alkali. The latter leads to the cleavage of the cellulose fibers and nanoscale particles forming. On the other hand, formally, the fraction of the high-molecular-weight components insoluble in strong NaOH solutions decreases, and the repeating treatment with an alkali solution causes a significant loss of mass.