Intrinsic Viscosity of Methylcellulose Aqueous Solutions

Adviser: Timothy Lodge, College of Science and Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Lodge GroupIn this study, the intrinsic viscosity of methylcellulose (MC) aqueous solutions was measured using a water-bathed Cannon-Fenske Routine Viscometer and was found to exhibit strong dependence on molecular weight, temperature, and time of annealing. In particular, the intrinsic viscosity increased with increasing molecular weight and lowered temperature. Furthermore, the intrinsic viscosity of a MC solution were observed to increase with time of annealing at near-theta temperatures, which implies the formation of aggregates.This research was supported by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)