Refining cellulose in a solvent for production of nanocellulose materials

Inactive Publication Date: 2016-11-10
API INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a way to make a composite material using nanocellulose material. The process involves using a refining solvent to help dissolve the nanocellulose material into the composite material. This solvent can then be recovered and reused for further refining or other purposes. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a more efficient and flexible method for making composite materials using nanocellulose material.

Problems solved by technology

Its moisture sensitivity, its incompatibility with oleophilic polymers, and the high energy consumption needed to produce, for example, NFC have so far prevented it from competing with other mass products such as ordinary paper or plastic.
Although the process may be simple, disadvantages include high energy consumption, damage to fibers and particles due to intense mechanical treatment, and a broad distribution in fibril diameter and length.
Such a technique reduces energy consumption compared to mechanical treatment and can produce more uniform particle sizes, but the process is not regarded as economically viable.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0037]This description will enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and it describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the invention. These and other embodiments, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art when taken with reference to the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with any accompanying drawings.

[0038]As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All composition numbers and ranges based on percentages are weight percentages, unless indicated otherwise. All ranges of numbers or conditions are meant to encompass any specific v...

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Abstract

Cellulose precursor materials may be refined (e.g., fibrillated) in an ethanol medium, or other solvent medium, instead of water. Following refining, the solvent may be removed and recycled prior to incorporation into another material, or optionally, following such incorporation. The solvent may assist the incorporation of nanocellulose into another material (e.g., a polymer) for a composite, for example. In some variations, a process comprises fractionating a biomass feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids, in the presence of a refining solvent, to form cellulose fibrils and / or cellulose crystals, thereby generating a nanocellulose material; recovering and recycling the refining solvent; and recovering the nanocellulose material or incorporating the nanocellulose material into a composite material.

Description

PRIORITY DATA[0001]This patent application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 62 / 009,189, filed Jun. 7, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD[0002]The present invention generally relates to nanocellulose and related materials produced by fractionating lignocellulosic biomass and further processing the cellulose fraction.BACKGROUND[0003]Biomass refining (or biorefining) has become more prevalent in industry. Cellulose fibers and sugars, hemicellulose sugars, lignin, syngas, and derivatives of these intermediates are being utilized for chemical and fuel production. Indeed, we now are observing the commercialization of integrated biorefineries that are capable of processing incoming biomass much the same as petroleum refineries now process crude oil. Underutilized lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks have the potential to be much cheaper than petroleum, on a carbon basis, as well as much better fro...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): D21H17/06D21C11/00D21H11/18
CPCD21H17/06D21C11/0007D21C11/0021D21H11/18D21C3/04D21C3/20D21C9/007Y02P40/40
InventorRETSINA, THEODORAO'CONNOR, RYAN P.
OwnerAPI INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC