Enhanced Cellulose Nanofibril Binder for Water Grease Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cellulose-based materials face challenges with hydrophilicity, leading to issues with water and grease resistance, especially in packaging applications, and existing hydrophobic coatings like fluorocarbons are environmentally persistent and costly, while also affecting printability and adhesion.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder is developed by incorporating a blend of saccharide fatty acid esters, glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers, which is applied in the papermaking process to improve water and grease resistance without sacrificing biodegradability and recyclability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cellulose-based materials are used for packaging, then biodegradability and recyclability are improved, but water and grease resistance deteriorate due to hydrophilicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining cellulose nanofibrils with a blend of hydrophobic substances (saccharide fatty acid esters, glycerides, fatty acid salts, natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers) to create an enhanced binder. This composite structure maintains the biodegradability of cellulose while incorporating hydrophobic properties to resist water and grease, directly resolving the contradiction between environmental compatibility and water/grease resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface energy parameter of cellulose-based materials by incorporating hydrophobic substances into the binder composition. This parameter change transforms the hydrophilic cellulose surface into a hydrophobic surface, improving water and grease resistance while maintaining the biodegradable nature of the material through the use of natural wax and cellulose crosslinkers.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If fluorocarbon coatings are applied to improve water and grease resistance, then penetration resistance is improved, but environmental persistence and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces persistent fluorocarbon coatings with biodegradable hydrophobic substances including natural waxes and cellulose crosslinkers. These alternative materials provide the necessary penetration resistance but are designed to be environmentally friendly and biodegradable, eliminating the harmful environmental persistence associated with fluorocarbons while maintaining functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the hydrophilic nature of cellulose, which initially causes water and grease penetration issues, into a benefit by using it as a biodegradable base material that can be chemically modified. The cellulose provides structural integrity and environmental compatibility, while the added hydrophobic components provide the necessary barrier properties, creating a system that is both functional and environmentally beneficial.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If fluorocarbon coatings are applied to achieve grease resistance, then greaseproofing is improved, but printability and adhesion deteriorate due to low surface energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a controlled hydrophobic surface through the binder composition that provides grease resistance in the bulk material while maintaining surface properties suitable for printing and adhesion. The localized modification of surface energy through the specific blend of hydrophobic substances allows different regions of the material to have optimized properties for their specific functions.
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 enhanced cellulose nanofibril binder maintains or increases drainage rates, prevents agglomeration, and provides improved water and grease resistance without the environmental concerns of fluorocarbons, while maintaining biodegradability and recyclability, thus addressing the limitations of conventional coatings.
Implementation Method 1
an SGF blend bound to the CNF, wherein the SGF blend comprises one or more selected from the group consisting saccharide fatty acid esters (SFAE), glycerides, fatty acid salts (FAS), natural waxes, and cellulose crosslinkers
Implementation Method 2
which would first become soggy and then ultimately fail. Further, multiple coatings may be required to offset low efficiency of maintaining sufficient coating on the cellulosic surface due to the high relative porosity of the material
Data Source
AI summary
An enhanced cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) (or enhanced CNF binder), methods of making the enhanced CNF binder, methods of making wet-laid, dry-laid, or molded articles with the enhanced CNF binder by incorporating the enhanced CNF with the furnish in the wet-end of a paper-making process, methods of coating cellulose-based materials, intermediate formed fiber articles, and/or molded articles with the enhanced CNF binder, and cellulose-based articles obtained by all of these methods, wherein the enhanced CNF includes a saccharide fatty acid ester-, glyceride-, fatty acid salt-, natural wax- and/or cellulose crosslinker-(SGF) blend bound to the CNF.