Structural characterization of cellulose with enzymatic treatment

Different cellulosic materials were treated with different extraceller microbial enzymes. Changes in structure and properties of the cellulose caused by enzymatic treatment depend on the composition, the type of enzyme and the type of cellulosic materials. Both endoglucanase and crude cellulase have pronounced effects on the degree of polymerization and the structure of cellulose. The variation of supramolecular structure was found to wide variations in conformation caused by the change of the hydrogen bonding energy. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved