Water-soluble, biodegradable dihydroxyalkyl cellulose

A method for preparing functionalized dihydroxyalkyl cellulose, comprising the steps of:

• a) mixing dihydroxyalkyl cellulose, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), water and caustic in a flask and stirring from about 0.1 hour to 1 hour to form swollen resultant;
• b) adding an aqueous solution of cationic, anionic, or hydrophobic agent to the resultant of (a) and heat the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to 80° C. for about 1 to about 10 hours;
• and
• c) lowering the temperature of the resultant of (b) to a room temperature, neutralizing the resultant with acid, and washing with different strength of IPA, acetone, or methanol;
• and
• d) drying the resultant of step (c) in a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 80° C. to retrieve functionalized dihydroxyalkyl cellulose comprising cationic, anionic, or hydrophobic moieties.

A method for preparing hydrophobic functional dihydroxyalkyl cellulose. comprising the steps of:

• a) mixing from about 5% (w/w) to 45% (w/w) of dihydroxyalkyl cellulose, from about 20% (w/w) to 70% (w/w) of IPA, from about 5% (w/w) to 50% (w/w) of water and from about 1% (w/w) to 15% (w/w) of caustic in a flask and stirring from about 0.1 hour to 1 hour;
• b) adding from about 1% (w/w) to 30% (w/w) of cationic, anionic, or hydrophobic agent to the resultant of (a) and heat the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to 120° C. for about 1 to about 16 hours;
• and
• c) lower the temperature of the resultant of (b) to room temperature, neutralize the resultant of step (b) with 50% (w/w) to 100% (w/w) of acid, and wash with different strength of 50% (w/w) to 100% (w/w) of IPA, acetone, or methanol;
• and
• d) dry the resultant of step (c) in temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 80° C. in an oven to retrieve cationic, anionic, or hydrophobic functional dihydroxyalkyl cellulose.