CAPILLARY IMBIBITION TECHNIQUES USED TO CHARACTERIZE THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE DUE TO WET AND DRY PROCESS

Authors

  • P.D. Ravazzoli Instituto de Física Arroyo Seco, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, and CIFICEN-CONICET-CICPBA, Pinto 399, (7000), Tandil, Argentina
  • M.C. Balbi Laboratorio de Caracterización de Partículas, Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Santa Fe (3000), Argentina
  • N.E. Ceschan Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química (UNS-CONICET); Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur. Bahía Blanca (8000), Argentina
  • G. Callegari Center on Structured Organic Particulate Systems (CSOPs at Rutgers), Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University
  • G. Drazer Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Abstract

In this work we study the change on the wettability and solid properties of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH101)
after it was wet and dried, through drop penetration experiments in slightly compacted porous beds. We perform these
experiments with water and a silicone oil, (Polidimethilsyloxane–PDMS) and we determine a dimensionless parameter
that takes into account all the water penetration factors, including wettability and swelling. We consider three different
scenarios, original MCC, and after one and two wetting and drying cycles. For each case we study the particle size
effects by considering two subset samples SiA)25 < φ < 75µm and SiB)75 < φ < 125µm. We were able to determine,
as it was expected, that PDMS penetration dynamics is not affected by the wetting–drying cycles but water is. The
penetration rate goes down after cellulose was wet. Finally we discuss how these behavior may affect the different
processes where microcrystalline cellulose is used.

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Published

2024-03-28

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 1 (2024): Anales AFA

Section

Fluids. Meeting 2023