Cellulose Acetate Fiber With Adipic Acid Ester for Soil Biodegradability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cellulose acetate fibers do not demonstrate sufficient biodegradability in soil environments, as evaluated by the stricter ISO14851 standard, despite showing biodegradability in less stringent MITI methods or marine environments.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a specific amount of adipic acid ester-based compound into cellulose acetate fibers and controlling the degree of crystalline orientation within a defined range enhances biodegradability, as measured by ISO14851.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cellulose acetate fiber is produced with conventional methods, then the fiber structure is formed, but biodegradability in soil environment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the degree of crystalline orientation within a specific range (0.05 to 0.25) and adjusting the composition ratio of cellulose acetate and adipic acid ester-based compound (95:5 to 80:20 by mass). These parameter optimizations enable the fiber to achieve 4.0% or more biodegradation within three days in soil environment, resolving the contradiction between maintaining fiber structure and improving biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system by combining cellulose acetate with adipic acid ester-based compound in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the fiber to maintain structural integrity while incorporating components that enhance biodegradability in soil environments, achieving both manufacturing feasibility and improved environmental degradation performance.
2Reliability
If biodegradability is evaluated by MITI method, then biodegradability is demonstrated, but the result cannot be applied to marine environment with low enzyme state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the evaluation parameters by controlling the degree of crystalline orientation to a specific low range (0.05 to 0.25), which makes the fiber structure more accessible to enzymatic degradation. This parameter optimization ensures that biodegradability demonstrated in MITI method can be effectively applied to marine environments with low enzyme states, achieving 4.0% or more biodegradation within three days across different environmental conditions.
3Strength
If degree of crystalline orientation is increased, then fiber strength is improved, but biodegradability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies and controls the degree of crystalline orientation within a specific range (0.05 to 0.25) as a critical parameter. This optimized parameter range achieves a balance where the fiber maintains sufficient structural strength while remaining accessible to enzymatic degradation, enabling 4.0% or more biodegradation within three days without compromising essential fiber properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating regions with different crystalline orientation characteristics within the fiber structure. The controlled degree of crystalline orientation (0.05 to 0.25) creates a structure that maintains strength in certain regions while providing degradation pathways in others, allowing simultaneous achievement of fiber strength and biodegradability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting cellulose acetate fibers exhibit enhanced biodegradability, with a degree of biodegradation of 4.0% or more within three days, even in low-enzyme soil environments, and are suitable for marine biodegradability assessment.
Implementation Method 1
biodegradability of a plastic material is evaluated as biodegradability in a soil environment
Implementation Method 2
An amount of enzyme produced in the soil environment by microorganisms which cause degradation
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a cellulose acetate fiber and a method for producing the cellulose acetate fiber. The cellulose acetate fiber contains 10 to 35 wt% of an adipic acid ester-based compound, and the cellulose acetate fiber has a degree of crystalline orientation of 0.010 to 0.260. The method for producing the cellulose acetate fiber includes: melt-spinning a cellulose acetate resin composition containing 10 to 35 wt% of an adipic acid ester-based compound, at a draft ratio of 10 to 250; and optionally drawing a melt-spun fiber at a total draw ratio of 2.0 or less.