Glycosidic bond protection of cellulose during solvent dissolution by coordination interaction competition strategy

Exploiting new solvents on efficiently dissolving cellulose is imperative to promote the utilization of cellulosic resources. The process of cellulose dissolution typically necessitates extreme conditions, such as high-temperature treatment, utilization of potent acidic or basic solvents, or the catalytic action of Lewis acids. As a result, the structure of the cellulose is invariably compromised, subsequently obstructing the creation of high-performance materials. In this study, we address this challenge through a simple process, introducing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as glycosidic bond protecting agent, to preserve the polymerization degree of cellulose during its room-temperature dissolution in ZnCl₂-phosporic acid eutectic solvent. The PEG units preferentially coordinate with Zn²⁺ to weaken the hydrolysis of glycosidic bond of cellulose through ether bond competition. The polymerization degree of regenerated cellulose is thus greatly improved, reaching up to seven times that of unprotected cellulose. Overall, this study offers an easy and cost-effective approach to develop cellulose solvents and provides a significant drive towards the fabrication of practical materials through cellulose dissolution.