| Abstract: | CONCLUSION. Chemiluminometry has been shown to be an extremely valuable additional tool in exploring degradation processes taking place in cellulosic materials. Several experimental methods exist that allow us to determine the content of reactive oxidation intermediates, such as peroxides or charge-transfer complexes. In order to obtain kinetic data, dynamic experiments have turned out to be most informative, however, the sample has to be heated up to 220 °C in oxygen atmosphere. If examination of precious samples or samples not available in big quantities is needed, it was shown that micro-sampling is a good option. Data obtained from such experiments, are valuable for comparison of stability at room temperature of samples of similar origin. While chemiluminescence in inert atmosphere is a consequence of thermolysis (transglycosidation), in oxidative atmosphere, there are several potential reaction intermediates which could lead to light emission during decomposition: - Peroxides (including macromolecular peroxides); - Dioxetanes; - Singlet oxygen (in the presence of humidity); - Charge-transfer complexes (formed during exposure to light). Using the typical dynamic experiments in inert atmosphere, it is possible to follow the kinetics of formation of some of these reaction intermediates, which is indispensable in studies of reaction pathways. |
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