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The role of the Ekenstam equation on the kinetics of cellulose hydrolytic degradation

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Abstract

The meaning of the Ekenstam equation (1/DP − 1/DP°) = kt is shortly discussed. Several misleading statements about its application to cellulose hydrolysis are underlined in order to improve the reliability of kinetic analyses. To this end, some further simple analyses are suggested to the experimentalists.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Abbreviations

DP°, DP:

Degree of polymerisation

k:

Rate constant of hydrolysis (mol g−1 t−1) for the Ekenstam equation; (t−1) for first-order kinetics

k1,0 :

Initial rate constant (Emsley and Stevens model)

k2 :

Rate constant of decrease of k1,0

LODP:

Levelling-off degree of polymerisation

M0:

Zero-order momentum of a Mw distribution

M1:

First-order momentum of a Mw distribution

Mw:

Molecular weight

n°:

Initial amount of scissile units

S:

Number of broken bonds (scissions)

Sn(0):

nth derivative of the function S(t) at t = 0

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  1. Istituto per la Tutela delle Opere Grafiche (ITOG), Via Pietro Sola 29, 31059, Zero Branco, TV, Italy

    Paolo Calvini

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  1. Paolo Calvini
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Calvini, P. The role of the Ekenstam equation on the kinetics of cellulose hydrolytic degradation. Cellulose 19, 313–318 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-011-9645-5

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