Abstract
The hydration level of NMMO hydrates determines their solvating power to cellulose and it has a significant effect on the rheological properties of the cellulose solutions in the hydrates. NMMO hydrate with water content of 14.5 wt.% could not completely dissolve cellulose, resulting in a heterogeneous solution. the cellulose solution in NMMO hydrate with water content of 9.6 wt.% produced a mesophase. In case of $DP_{w}$ 940 cellulose solution, lower Newtonian flow region was not observed. In case of 12 and 15 wt.% $DP_{w}$ 940 cellulose solutions in NMMO hydrate with water content of 9.6 wt.%, yield behavior was observed. The yield stress of the 15 wt.% $DP_{w}$ 940 cellulose solution in NMMO hydrates with water content of 9.6 wt.% was calculated to e 6.96 Pa. Further, the orientation structure of cellulose solutions became more noticed with decreasing hydration levels of the solvent.
