Physicochemical aspects of the preparation of starch- and cellulose-based hydrogels via derivatization
Keywords:
Сellulose and starch hydrogels, derivatization, alkaline activation, carboxymethylation, amorphization, stoichiometry of interaction, phase transition, structural state of biopolymers, additive compoundsSynopsis
This work establishes a fundamental basis for the synthesis and innovative modification of polymer hydrogels intended for application in agricultural production and pharmacy. A combination of standard and advanced instrumental analysis methods was employed to investigate the supramolecular structure and physicochemical properties of the developed hydrogel systems. A comprehensive evaluation of structural characteristics, degree of substitution, and thermodynamic parameters of material-solvent interaction was carried out using X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometric, and calorimetric analysis methods.
By means of physicochemical analysis, a comprehensive study of native starch and cellulose was performed, and the processes of their amorphization and derivatization under conditions of alkaline activation and carboxymethylation were studied in detail. From the perspective of the formation of additive compounds of sodium hydroxide and water with cellulose, the regularities of stoichiometry and the depth of phase transition under the influence of NaOH solutions of various concentrations were revealed. The optimal stoichiometry of the polymer-activator interaction, as well as the exact water content in alkaline zones required for the formation of a stable gel structure, were determined.
A clear correlation was established between different methods for the quantitative evaluation of the structural state of starch and cellulose, for which corresponding calculation equations were proposed. The distribution of alkali and water in the zones of alkaline celluloses with varying degrees of ordering of structural elements was evaluated. A mathematical method for calculating the total effective concentration of the alkaline solution was developed and proposed. The calculation is based on the mass content of NaOH and water in alkaline starch and alkaline cellulose, serving as an effective tool for optimizing the formulation of target hydrogels. The proposed approaches and calculation methodologies (in particular, the determination of optimal alkaline solution concentrations) allow for the predictable synthesis of hydrogel materials with specified physicochemical properties.
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July 24, 2026
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Copyright (c) 2025 Yaroslava Pushkarova, Galina Zaitseva, Olena Ishchenko, Olha Sumska , Volodymyr Bessarabov, Galyna Kuzmina, Liudmyla Vognivenko, Natalia Pelykh
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Ishchenko, O., Sumska, O., Strashnyi, V., Shnaider, S., Roik, O., Kharytonenko, H., & Resnytskyi, I. (2026). Physicochemical aspects of the preparation of starch- and cellulose-based hydrogels via derivatization. In Y. Pushkarova, G. Zaitseva, O. Ishchenko, O. Sumska, V. Bessarabov, G. Kuzmina, L. Vognivenko, N. Pelykh, N. Minska, A. Huz, V. Kradozhon, R. Melezhyk, M. Murin, V. Rotar, N. Tregub, V. Strashnyi, S. Shnaider, O. Roik, H. Kharytonenko, & I. Resnytskyi, In Press. Chemical engineering: innovations in materials and processes. Scientific Route OÜ®. https://monograph.route.ee/rout/catalog/book/Chemical_engineering_innovations_in_materials_and_processes/chapter/208
