Densified Cellulosic Material via Block Delignification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to produce delignified and densified cellulosic materials of sufficient size with parallel fiber orientation, which is crucial for maintaining structural integrity and achieving desired mechanical properties.
Innovation Solution
A method involving delignification of entire wooden blocks followed by densification using a combination of compression and shear forces, allowing for the maintenance of structural directionality and achieving a highly compact, almost lignin-free material with controlled parallel fiber orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional pulp production processes are used for delignification, then cellulose fibers are obtained, but the wood fibers are dispensed and re-orientation is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the delignification process by treating entire wooden blocks rather than dispersing individual fibers. This maintains the structural integrity and natural parallel orientation of cellulose fibers within each block, avoiding the dispersion problem of conventional pulp production while still achieving effective delignification throughout the material.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies preliminary delignification treatment to entire wooden blocks before any fiber separation or processing. This preliminary action removes lignin while fibers remain in their natural parallel orientation within the block structure, making subsequent processing easier and maintaining manufacturing precision.
2Strength
If lignin is partially removed and replaced by resins for densification, then structural integrity is maintained, but the material is not fully delignified
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely extracts lignin from wooden blocks through extended delignification treatment, rather than partially removing it and replacing with resins. The blocks are treated until lignin content is reduced to minimal levels (below 5%, preferably below 2%), achieving full delignification while maintaining structural integrity through the natural cellulose framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the delignification parameters (time, temperature, chemical concentration) to achieve complete lignin removal. By optimizing these parameters for extended treatment of entire blocks, the process achieves near-total lignin extraction while preserving the cellulose structural framework that provides inherent structural integrity.
3Manufacturing precision
If entire wooden blocks are delignified and then strongly densified, then a compact material with parallel fiber orientation is obtained, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the delignification and densification processes into a unified workflow where entire wooden blocks undergo delignification first, then direct densification without intermediate fiber separation steps. This combination maintains parallel fiber orientation throughout while streamlining the overall process despite the extended delignification time required.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary delignification of entire wooden blocks before densification, establishing the correct chemical composition and fiber orientation early in the process. This preliminary action simplifies subsequent densification steps since the fibers are already in their natural parallel arrangement and ready for compacting.
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 method effectively produces a delignified and densified cellulosic material with improved mechanical properties, including enhanced tensile strength and elastic modulus, while maintaining the structural integrity of the raw material.
Implementation Method 1
delignification of the lignocellulosic material providing a delignified material, wherein the delignification step is performed in such a way that the lignin of the lignocellulosic material is almost completely removed
Implementation Method 2
densification of the delignified material providing a densified material
Implementation Method 3
The delignification is based on pulp production processes, but it allows for maintaining the structural directionality of the raw material, here wood. This is achieved by delignifying entire wooden blocks of treatable size, which are then strongly densified in a second step to gain a very compact and densified material with a controlled and parallel fibre orientation
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for obtaining densified material comprising the steps ofa. providing lignocellulosic material,b. delignification of the lignocellulosic material providing a delignified material, wherein the delignification step is performed in such a way that the lignin of the lignocellulosic material is almost completely removed and wherein the structural integrity of the lignocellulosic material is maintained in the delignified material,c. densification of the delignified material providing a densified material.Furthermore, a densified material is provided. The fibers and fibrils are maintained in the structural directionality of the raw material and that the cellulosic material is whitish.