Dielectric and optical properties of chemically processed cellulose

The abundance and the versatility of the cellulose structure based on the route of modification have attracted many researchers in the scientific community. Cellulose can be taken from many natural sources, but the largest source of natural cellulose is plant parts. Chemically treated cellulose can show properties that are not displayed by untreated natural cellulose. In this study, cellulose was treated and was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, and its optical and dielectric properties were studied. The characterization showed rice-grain-like structures in the SEM image; the particle size analysis data revealed that the particle size ranged from 0.474 to 8.198 μm; the absorbance was at 218.0 and 218.5 nm under UV–Vis spectroscopy; and sharp peaks at 445.19 nm and excitation at 666.47 nm were observed under fluorescence spectroscopy. The study indicated that treated cellulose showed change in color on exposure to UV radiation, and the dielectric study indicated the possibility of the use of treated cellulose in charge-storage devices.