Uniform Cellulose Microfibers With Low Agglomerate Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing cellulose fibers result in significant amounts of coarse structures and unpulverized parts, leading to agglomeration and impaired performance in various applications, often requiring chemical treatments that compromise biodegradability.
Innovation Solution
Control the agglomeration and unpulverized parts by achieving a specific range of fiber diameters and ratios, along with controlled crystal structure and crystallinity, without the use of chemical substances, to produce uniform cellulose microfibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the force of micronization is increased to reduce unpulverized parts, then the amount of unpulverized parts is reduced, but nanofibers are formed resulting in agglomerates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the micronization process parameters (force, time, temperature) to achieve complete pulverization while preventing excessive fiber breakdown into nanofibers. By optimizing these parameters, the process achieves high pulverization completeness without generating harmful agglomerates
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the force of micronization is weakened, then material conversion to nanofibers is reduced, but unpulverized parts remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific ranges for micronization parameters that ensure complete pulverization of cellulose while avoiding excessive force that would convert material into nanofibers. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between pulverization completeness and nanofiber formation
3Adaptability or versatility
If cellulose nanofibers are produced, then various applications are enabled, but handling difficulties occur due to high viscosity and agglomeration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes agglomerates and nanofiber clusters from the cellulose fiber product through filtration and separation processes. This extraction of harmful aggregated structures maintains the versatility of cellulose applications while eliminating handling difficulties associated with high viscosity and agglomeration
4Manufacturing precision
If chemical treatment or powerful mechanical treatment is used for micronization, then fiber uniformity is improved, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-service approach where the micronization process achieves fiber uniformity through controlled mechanical action alone, without requiring additional chemical treatments. This self-sufficient mechanical process reduces production costs while maintaining high fiber uniformity standards
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 microfibers exhibit reduced coarse structures and improved uniformity, enabling versatile applications as fillers and base materials without chemical additives, maintaining biodegradability.
Implementation Method 1
powerful mechanical treatment or treatment with chemicals is necessary for micronization
Implementation Method 2
the generation of agglomerates due to strong hydrogen bonds during drying
Implementation Method 3
Cellulose nanofibers have a strong agglomeration action due to intermolecular forces
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are cellulose microfibers (fibrous cellulose) that can be used in a general-purpose manner for a variety of applications and that have a uniform fiber diameter distribution and a low proportion of both cellulose nanofibers and coarse structures, a composition containing said cellulose fibers, and a porous body composed of said cellulose fibers. The present invention relates to cellulose fibers in which the average fiber diameter in a dry state is 0.3-3.0 um as observed using an electron microscope, the proportion of fibers having a fiber diameter of less than 0.1 um is 5% or less, and the proportion of coarse structures as indicated by the proportion of fibers having a wet fiber diameter of 20 um or greater measured through automatic optical analysis is 3.0% or less. The present invention also relates to a composition containing said cellulose fibers, and a porous body composed of said cellulose fibers.