Abstract: In order to study the degradation behavior of cellulose in imidazolium-based ionic liquids, the influence of temperature, time and agitation speed to degradation behavior of cellulose was studied by orthogonal experiment, and the degradation influence of cellulose on four kinds of different ionic liquids was compared and discussed. The results show that, the optimum conditions for cellulose in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]Ac) were: temperature 80℃, dissolution time 1hour and agitation speed 230r/min. Dissolution temperature has a more influence on the cellulose degradation, the next is dissolution time and agitation speed. At the same conditions, [EMIM]Ac has a least influence on cellulose degradation, while 1-ally-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl) on the other. Propyl gallate could reduce the degradation of cellulose obviously in ionic liquid solutions. It is also found that the color of the solution turn out amaranth when adding propyl gallate into acetate imidazolium-based ionic liquids [EMIM]Ac and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([BMIM]Ac), and disappear after dissolution of cellulose.

Key words: cellulose, ionic liquids, degradation, propyl gallate