Solution properties and mesophase formation of 4‐phenyl‐benzoylcellulose

Cellulose samples were derivatized in dimethylacetamide/LiCl (DMAc/LiCl) to give 4‐phenyl‐benzoylcelluloses (PBCs). The process is quantitative and leads to an highly substituted product, as verified by elemental analysis, IR and 13C‐NMR spectroscopy. PBC samples were characterized by viscometric and light scattering measurements in DMAc. The persistance length q is used to evaluate the theoretical critical volume fraction for mesophase formation (v′th, which has been found higher than the experimental critical one (v′exp)