Effect of self-assembly via π-stacking to morphology and crystallinity on tritylated cellulose

A new interaction between assembled tritylated cellulose (6TC) chains was seen when cellulose was selectively substituted at C-6 position. This obtained interaction was concluded to arise from the π–π stacking between the trityl moieties on cellulose backbone and was evident from SEM images as highly orientated structure as well as from XRD diffractogram as sharp reflections giving the average distance between trityl groups on adjacent chains to be 5.6 Å. This was in good correlation with data from the simplified molecular model (~ 6 Å). The effect of DS value and intramolecular hydrogen bonding on the self-assembly ability of trityl cellulose and thereby, on the morphology and crystallinity was also investigated.