Cellulose Ester Film Co-Refining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods fail to produce environmentally friendly films using cellulose fibers due to their inability to thermally soften or melt, limiting the creation of film products that combine cellulose and synthetic fibers effectively.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising cellulose fibers and cellulose ester staple fibers, co-refined and combined in specific weight percentages with a plasticizer, to form a wet laid product that can be processed into films, utilizing a wet laid process that includes refining and plasticizer application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If cellulose fibers are used to make films, then environmental friendliness is improved, but film-forming capability deteriorates because cellulose fibers do not thermally soften or melt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines cellulose fibers with cellulose ester staple fibers in a composite composition. The cellulose ester fibers (20-80 wt%) provide thermal softening and melting capabilities that enable film formation, while the cellulose fibers (20-80 wt%) maintain environmental friendliness. This merging of two different fiber types resolves the contradiction between environmental friendliness and film-forming capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system consisting of cellulose fibers and cellulose ester staple fibers. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit properties of both components: the biodegradability and environmental compatibility of cellulose, combined with the thermoplastic and film-forming properties of cellulose ester, thereby resolving the technical contradiction.
2Ease of manufacture
If cellulose ester staple fibers are added to enable film formation, then film-forming capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to co-refining requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the refining processes for cellulose fibers and cellulose ester staple fibers into a single co-refining operation. This integrated approach, while adding process complexity, enables both fiber types to be processed simultaneously into a homogeneous composition that can be formed into films, resolving the film-forming capability issue.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If cellulose fibers are used alone, then environmental friendliness is improved, but thermal stability deteriorates due to inability to thermally soften
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite material where cellulose fibers are combined with cellulose ester staple fibers. The cellulose ester component introduces thermal softening behavior to the composition, allowing the material to respond to temperature changes and be processed into films, while the cellulose component maintains environmental friendliness. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between environmental friendliness and thermal responsiveness.
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
Enables the production of environmentally friendly films that are film-forming and thermally stable, overcoming the limitations of traditional cellulose fiber processing by enhancing the properties of cellulose ester staple fibers through co-refining and plasticizer addition.
Implementation Method 1
cellulose fibers and cellulose ester staple fibers are co-refined
Implementation Method 2
applying a plasticizer onto said wet laid product in an amount of at least 5 wt. %
Data Source
AI summary
A film is made from a wet laid product containing cellulose fibers and cellulose ester fibers and a plasticizer. The film can be made by heat pressing the wet laid sheet to form a film having a continuous phase of cellulose ester resin and a discontinuous phase of cellulose fibers.