1. Preparation and Characterization of
Cellulose Fibers for Biochemical
Applications
Delaine Zayaz-Bazán 1 , José A. Cruz-Arzón 1 , Nelson Granda-Paz 1 , and Wilfredo OtañoRivera 3,4
1-Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Puerto Rico
1-Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
3- Department of Physics-Mathematics, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Puerto Rico
4-Institute for Functional Nanomaterials, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico

2. Problem
• Is it possible to prepare electrospun cellulose
fibers that could be used for separation of
proteins producing high flow and mass transfer?

3. Objectives
• Prepare cellulose acetate fibers by electrospinning and
transform them into cellulose by a deacetylation process
• Characterize fibers by SEM and FTIR among other
techniques.
• Evaluate chemical and physical electrospinning process
parameters in order to craft porosity of cellulose fibers.

4. Basic Concepts
Cellulose Acetate
Cellulose
• Molar Mass 30,000
• Molar Mass  600,000
• Density 1.3 g/cm3
• Density  1.5 g/cm3

5. • Cellulose Acetate for fiber synthesis
• Cellulose for protein separation

6. Methodology

7. Methodology
+
Cellulose acetate
Acetone/DMF/EtOH
Cellulose
21% sol

8. Electrospinning
• Typical conditions
▫ Distance: 18 cm
▫ 20.0 kV
▫ 0.5 mL/ hr

9. Results

10. Results
21% CA fibers

11. Fiber Diameter
Average 693 ±306

12. Deacetylation
OHRegenerated
Cellulose Membrane

13. FTIR Analysis
1
AC.jws.dx
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
Transmittance
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
5000
1745
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
Wavenumbers [1/cm]
2000
1500
1000
500

14. FTIR Analysis
1740

15. Deacetylation
• Cellulose Acetate
Esther
Functional Group
• Cellulose
Hydroxyl Group

16. FTIR Analysis
0.14
control #2 C Vibha Smooth.jws.dx smoothed smoothed
m#D CR.jws.dx smoothed smoothed
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
Transmittance
0.04
0.02
1640
0
-0.02
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
W avenumbers [1/cm]
2000
1500
1000
500
0

17. Regenerated vs. Comercial Cellulose

18. Porosity Measurements
±9

19. Conclusions
• The work is still going on
▫ The preliminary results show that cellulose can be
regenerated from the acetate
• Future Works

20. Acknowledgements
• UPR at Cayey
• RISE Program
• NAMAS Lab
• Our Lab Group
• Professor Vibha Bansal

21. Thank You
Questions?