Effect of cellulose crystallinity on the progress of thermal oxidative degradation of paper

Dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) using paper samples of different compositions has evidenced varying degrees of endothermic activity prior to the exothermic, oxidative decomposition of cellulose under static air. Whereas cotton cellulose papers displayed a significant endothermic activity, wood-pulp papers showed a much less pronounced effect or no activity at all. DSC measurements using microcrystalline cellulose submitted to different extents of milling indicated that the observed endotherm is related to the degree of crystallinity of cellulose. Crystallinity decrease is accompanied by a decrease in the area of the endothermic peak. Thermal disruption of cellulose crystalline domains is therefore believed to be the reason for the appearance of an endotherm in the thermograms of paper. The higher degree of crystallinity of cotton cellulose in comparison to wood-pulp cellulose accounts for the more pronounced endothermic activity observed for cotton papers.