Studies on cellulose/alginate miscibility in cadoxen by viscometry

Based on Chee's method, a modified approach was suggested to determine stiff polymer/stiff polymer miscibility by viscometry in aqueous solution. The values of b (k'[η] 2 of Huggins equation) were obtained from plots of [(η sp /c)- [η]]/c vs c for cellulose, alginate and cellulose/alginate in cadoxen. The predicted μ-w 3 (miscibility parameter-weight fraction of alginate) relation satisfactorily explained the results of miscible and immiscible blends for various ratios of cellulose/alginate, which had been ascertained by SEM, DTA and X-ray diffraction in our previous work. When w 3 is lower than 0.43 (1:0.75 ratio of cellulose/alginate),μ is more than zero indicating a miscible blend, and according to the μ criterion the cellulose/alginate (1:0.75) blend is immiscible in accord with the previous results from SEM etc.