Cellulose particulate material

• US 10,246,522 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CelluComp Limited
• Original Assignee: CelluComp Limited
• Inventors: Hepworth, David, Whale, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Stefanie J
• Application Number:
  US14/778,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20160168274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/262 Cellulose; Derivatives thereof, e.g. ethers
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/24 Cellulose or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/10 General cosmetic use
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/412 Microsized, i.e. having sizes between 0.1 and 100 microns
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/0241 Containing particulates characterized by their shape and/or structure see also A61K8/04, A61K8/11, and A61K8/14, further aspects are classified in A61K2800/40 and subcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/731 Cellulose; Quaternized cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/97 from algae, fungi, lichens or plants; from derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9789 Magnoliopsida [dicotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/248 from specific plants, e.g. hemp fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/023 Chemical treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2641 Polyacrylates; Polymethacrylates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/383 Cellulose or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 15/00 Preparation of other cellulose derivatives or modified cellulose , e.g. complexes
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/02 Cellulose; Modified cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/18 Spheres
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 97/02 : Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse manufacture of articles made from lignocellulosic material by dry processes B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 101/02 : Cellulose; Modified cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 197/02 : Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/024 : characterised by the additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/43 : Thickening agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/65 : macromolecular C09D7/41-C09D7/48 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/02 : Material of vegetable origin proteins D21H17/22; lignins D21H17/23; polysaccharides D21H17/24; rosin D21H17/62
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/24 : Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/25 : Cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/14 : characterised by function or properties in or on the paper D21H19/66, D21H27/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

The invention relates to plant-derived cellulose-containing particles useful as strengthening agents in water based systems and to a process for preparing cellulose-containing particles from plant material, which process involves treating said plant material with a peroxide reagent. The process can be controlled to produce cellulose-containing particle having a viscosity up to about 2500 cps.

Claims

1. A process for preparing cellulose-containing particulate material which has a viscosity at a concentration of 1 dry wt % in water of less than 2500 cps, the process comprising the steps of:

contacting herbaceous plant material with a peroxide reagent and water;

(ii) heating the mixture from (i) to a temperature of from 30 to 110°

C. and maintaining said mixture at a temperature of from 30 to 110°

C. until the pH of the mixture has dropped by at least 2 pH units;

(iii) isolating the cellulose-containing particles; and

(iv) reducing the water content of the product of step (iii).

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the herbaceous plant material comprises greater than 30% by volume of parenchymal cell material.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the herbaceous plant material comprises less than 10 wt % lignocellulose.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the plant material is a root vegetable.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the plant material is a potato.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein step (i) includes mechanically treating the herbaceous plant material so that it comprises particles with a major dimension of less than 10 mm.

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein step (ii) involves mechanically homogenizing the mixture while the mixture is being maintained at said temperature and/or wherein step (ii) involves cooling down the mixture after the period of time is over and then mechanically homogenizing the mixture.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein, in step (ii) the mixture is heated to a temperature of from 70 and 100°

C. and maintained at a temperature of from 70 and 100°

C.

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the process is carried out in the absence of an alkali or acid reagent.

10. A process according to claim 1, wherein the process comprises a further step (v) of contacting the cellulose-containing particles with an oxidant.

11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the process is carried out in the absence of a pH-modifying additive.

12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the only chemical treatment used to break down the herbaceous plant material is the peroxide chemical treatment of step (i).

13. A composition comprising less than about 10 wt % plant-derived cellulose particulate material, wherein the plant-derived cellulose particulate material comprises less than 30 wt % extractable glucose;

and extractable xylose in an amount of at least 3% of the amount of extractable xylose in the starting plant material.

14. The composition of claim 13, wherein the composition is a cement composition, further comprising a binder.

15. The composition of claim 13, wherein the composition is a concrete composition, further comprising an aggregate material.

16. The composition of claim 13, wherein the composition is a paint composition, further comprising a binder.

17. The composition of claim 13, wherein the composition is a food composition.

18. The composition of claim 13, wherein the composition is a cosmetic composition, further comprising a binder.

19. Paper comprising less than about 40 wt % plant-derived cellulose particulate material, wherein the plant-derived cellulose particulate material comprises less than 30 wt % extractable glucose;

and extractable xylose in an amount of at least 3% of the amount of extractable xylose in the starting plant material.