Cellulose Acetate Tow

Catalog	ACMA00030815
Description	Cellulose acetate tow is a clean, soft, tasteless, and odorless product made from acetate flake. It is a biobased and environmentally friendly product which is derived from natural wood pulp.
Synonyms	Cellulose Acetate Tow
Solubility	Soluble in many common solvents (especially acetone and other organic solvents) Can be modified to be soluble in alternative solvents, including water
Application	Selective absorption and removal of low levels of certain organic chemicals
Feature	Hydrophilic, wets easily, with good liquid transport and excellent absorption In textile applications, it provides comfort and absorbency
Form	Continuous tow fiber band compressed into bales

Case Study

Grafting Modification of Cellulose Acetate Fibers by Plasma Treatment

Kajjout M, et al. Reactive and Functional Polymers, 2019, 134, 40-48.

Cellulose acetate (CA) fibers are commonly used in cigarette filters. Grafting amine functional groups on CA fiber tows can nucleophilically capture aldehyde compounds from mainstream smoke by forming imines, and can also be used to remove HCN from cigarette smoke. In this work, amine functional groups were grafted on the surface of CA fibers by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and radio frequency plasma treatment methods.
· It was found that increasing the hydrogen content in the N2/H2 mixture to around 30% in the ICP system resulted in a higher yield (approximately 9%) of amine functions on the CA tow surface with less degradation.
· In situ OES diagnostic confirmed that the addition of hydrogen to the nitrogen plasma led to the formation of NHx species, while XPS analyses confirmed the functionalization of the CA fiber surface.
· Both NH3/He (5/95) and N2/H2 (95/5) radio-frequency low-pressure plasma treatments of the CA tow demonstrated the grafting of primary amines onto its surface.
· The optimal conditions for achieving a higher amine grafting density (around 6.5%) on the CA tow surface were a plasma power of 500 W and a treatment duration of 10 minutes using the N2/H2 (95/5) mixture.
· A comparison between ICP and radio frequency plasma treatments revealed that ICP was more effective in grafting amine functions onto the CA tow surface.
· Shelf life experiments conducted on the plasma-treated CA tow indicated that after 60 days, the density of amines remained almost constant.

Controlled-Release Acid-Catalyzed Accelerated Degradation Strategy for Cellulose Acetate

Robertson R M, et al. Green Chemistry, 2012, 14(8), 2266-2272.

Plasticized cellulose acetate fiber is the slowest degrading component of cigarette filter (up to several years). In order to reduce the impact on the environment, this work developed a controlled-release acid-catalyzed accelerated degradation strategy for cellulose acetate fiber by using encapsulated weak organic acids and benign sulfate/phosphate esters.
· The technology allows for customizable degradation rates ranging from conservative to aggressive. Initiating hydrolysis of cellulose acetate and/or benign sulfate/phosphate esters is achieved using weak organic acids such as ascorbic acid and/or citric acid to release mineral acids. A crucial component of this technology is the coating technology for controlled release, which creates a barrier between the catalyst and the cellulose acetate filter, preserving product shelf-life and function.
· For sample preparation, filter rods were produced on a rod maker using celanese acetate tow (2.7/35000). Triacetin (7% by weight) and paper (plug wrap) were included during rod making. The rods measured 24.45 mm in circumference by 102 mm in length. Conditioning the rods for 24 hours prior to use (at 60% RH, 70 °F) was necessary. The triacetin serves to promote fiber-to-fiber bonding (plasticization) and provides rigidity or firmness to the filter rods.