Esterified Cellulose Masterbatch for Melt-Spun Fiber Elongation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cellulose-based fibers produced by the melt spinning process have low breaking elongation, leading to fiber cracking and mechanical strength issues, which hinders their commercialization due to the use of low-molecular weight plasticizers that cannot withstand high spinning temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A thermoplastic cellulosic composition with a lower amount of plasticizer, comprising esterified cellulose, polyethylene glycol, a bifunctional reactant, an initiator, and a dispersing agent, is used to create a cellulose-based masterbatch suitable for melt spinning, which forms fibers with improved breaking elongation and tenacity by forming a continuous phase structure that enhances heat resistance and flowability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If low-molecular weight plasticizer is added to esterified cellulose to obtain melt-spinnable composition, then the composition becomes melt-spinnable, but the plasticizer cannot withstand high spinning temperature resulting in fiber cracking and low breaking elongation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight parameter of the plasticizer from low (conventional) to high (2000-5000 Da), which fundamentally alters the thermal stability characteristics. This parameter change enables the plasticizer to withstand spinning temperatures of 200-260°C without decomposing, thereby preventing fiber cracking while maintaining melt-spinnability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system combining esterified cellulose with high-molecular weight plasticizer, along with catalyst and solvent components. This composite composition achieves synergistic effects where the high-molecular weight plasticizer provides thermal stability while the catalyst system enables controlled reaction, solving both processability and durability issues simultaneously.
2Ease of operation
If high amount of plasticizer (50-90 wt %) is used in melt-spinnable composition, then the composition becomes sufficiently plasticized for spinning, but the fiber breaking elongation decreases due to plasticizer decomposition at high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the plasticizer content from the conventional high range (50-90 wt %) to a moderate range (10-40 wt %). This parameter reduction is made possible by using high-molecular weight plasticizer with superior thermal stability, allowing sufficient plasticization at lower concentrations without decomposition-related strength loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops a multi-component composite system that includes esterified cellulose, high-molecular weight plasticizer, catalyst, and solvent. This composite approach distributes functional requirements across multiple components, reducing reliance on excessive plasticizer while maintaining processability and fiber strength.
3Reliability
If wet spinning or dry spinning process is used to produce cellulose-based fibers, then fiber quality is maintained, but organic solvents must be used and recycled increasing process complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the organic solvent component from the spinning process by adopting melt spinning. This removes the need for complex solvent recovery systems while maintaining fiber quality, as the process uses only thermal energy to achieve fiber formation without requiring solvent dissolution and subsequent recovery infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical-based wet/dry spinning mechanism with a thermal-based melt spinning mechanism. This substitution eliminates the need for solvent chemistry and associated recycling infrastructure, using only heat to transition the material from solid to molten state for fiber formation.
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-based fibers exhibit a breaking elongation of no less than 28%, improving their weavability and suitability for commercial weaving applications, while eliminating the need for organic solvents in the spinning process, thus reducing environmental risks and solvent recycling costs.
Implementation Method 1
each of the bifunctional reactant has two terminals with reactive end-groups, whereby at least part of the bifunctional reactant has its reactive end-groups respectively connected to the end groups of two esterified cellulose molecules
Implementation Method 2
the masterbatch prepared from such composition is suitable for use in melt spinning process
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a thermoplastic cellulosic composition for preparing a cellulose-based masterbatch and/or a fiber with an improved breaking elongation. In one example, the thermoplastic cellulosic composition includes an esterified cellulose present in a range of about 77 wt % to about 95 wt %, polyethylene glycol present in a range of about 4.5 wt % to about 15 wt %, a bifunctional reactant present in a range of about 0.01 wt % to about 3 wt %, an initiator present in a range of about 0.01 wt % to about 0.15 wt %, and a dispersing agent present in a range of about 0.01 wt % to about 5 wt %.