Investigations on cellulose nitrate. II. Liquid and vapor phase adsorption of acetone^†

The discrepancies in the published work on the interaction of acetone and cellulose nitrate are discussed and explained. Vapor phase adsorption isotherms for the adsorption of acetone by cellulose nitrate have been determined with an adsorption balance. They have been shown to be independent of the crystalline-amorphous ratio of the polymer but dependent upon its nitrogen content. In cellulose nitrates which are completely soluble in acetone, no limiting adsorption has been found. Adsorption analysis (a modification of chromatography) has been applied to the determination of the liquid phase adsorption by cellulose nitrate of acetone from mixtures with petroleum ether. In terms of the liquid mixture concentrations, there appears to be limited adsorption, but this is shown to be due to the nonideal nature of the solutions of acetone and petroleum ether. When allowance is made for this, the liquid and vapor phase isotherms are the same within experimental error and do not support the existence of compounds of acetone and cellulose nitrate.