On the solubility of cellulose acetate in water
The solubility of substances is related to its dissolution in different solvents. This paper explores the solubility characteristics of cellulose acetate in water.

Cellulose acetate is obtained by chemical modification. In its molecular structure, the introduction of acetyl groups changes the properties of the original cellulose. Water is a common polar solvent with a unique molecular structure. Hydrogen and oxygen are covalently linked and show polarity.

The structure of cellulose acetate retains some hydroxyl groups and has a certain polarity, but the presence of acetyl groups reduces its overall polarity. The principle of material dissolution is often said to be "similar and soluble", that is, substances with similar polarities are more easily miscible. The polarity of water is very strong, and the polarizability of cellulose acetate is quite different from that of water due to acetyl groups. Therefore, under normal conditions, cellulose acetate is difficult to dissolve in water.

Many experiments have also confirmed this conclusion. Placing an appropriate amount of cellulose acetate in water, after fully stirring and standing, it can be seen that it is not dispersed and dissolved, but still exists in the water as a solid state. The solubility of cellulose acetate in water is also limited by longitudinal heating of water temperature.

To sum up, based on the molecular structure characteristics of cellulose acetate and the principle of "similar miscibility", supplemented by experimental verification, it can be known that cellulose acetate has poor solubility in water.