Gas transport phenomena in hydroxypropyl cellulose solid film retaining cholesteric liquid crystalline order

Two kinds of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) films were prepared: one retained cholesteric liquid crystalline order (HPC-A), and another was amorphous (HPC-B). Gas transport phenomena in the HPC-A films were determined at 20 degrees C, which is below the T-g of HPC, compared with those in the HPC-B films, by using mainly oxygen and nitrogen gases; herium and carbon dioxide gases were also used. The permeability coefficient P for the HPC-A films was smaller than that for the HPC-B films by approximately 10 times. The gas permselectivity, defined as the ratio of P for each gas, was affected by the liquid crystalline order, as follows: The permselectivity for the HPC-A films was greater than that of the HPC-B films. The trends of gas permeability and permselectivity for the liquid crystal-forming HPC films were the same as those reported for other liquid crystal-forming cellulosic films. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.