Bimodal cellulose composition

• US 10,640,632 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Betulium Oy
• Original Assignee: Betulium Oy
• Inventors: Laukkanen, Antti, Mckee, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Harlan, Robert D
• Application Number:
  US16/062,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20180371211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/02 Cellulose; Modified cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/14 Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 89/00 Compositions of proteins; Compositions of derivatives thereof foodstuff preparations A23J3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 97/005 Lignin
• 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: D21H 11/18 Highly hydrated, swollen or fibrillatable fibres

Abstract

A method of producing from cellulose pith a composition having bimodal distribution of its components. The composition can be used to modify rheological properties of compositions of matter and for making articles of manufacture and nanocomposites.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a composition comprising:

A nanofibrillar parenchymal cellulose; and

B cellulose fibers;

wherein both A and B are obtained from cellulose pith, the process comprising;

a. providing or isolating cellulose pith from cellulose pith material;

b. treating the cellulose pith with an alkali; and

c. fibrillating the alkali treated cellulose pith.

2. The process of claim 1 comprising a fractionating step between steps a. and b., or between the steps b. and c., to recover a parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of parenchymal cells and cellulose fibers.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the fractionating step is by dry fractioning or wet fractioning.

4. The process of claim 1 comprising a fractionating step after step c to recover the nanofibrillar parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of A and B fractions.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.

7. The process of claim 2 comprising a fractionating step after step c to recover the nanofibrillar parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of A and B fractions.

8. The process of claim 3 comprising a fractionating step after step c to recover the nanofibrillar parenchymal cell rich fraction or to alter the relative fraction of A and B fractions.

9. The process of claim 2 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.

10. The process of claim 3 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.

11. The process of claim 4 wherein the alkali treatment in step b. comprises washing the alkali treated cellulose pith and removing the filtrate.

12. The process of claim 2 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.

13. The process of claim 3 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.

14. The process of claim 4 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.

15. The process of claim 5 wherein a chemical derivatization is carried before, after or during the step b, the chemical derivatization including cationization, oxidation, bleaching, acetylation, esterification, etherification reactions, or a combination thereof.