Process for making partly-hydrolyzed cellulose using compressed cellulosic materials
AssigneeNoram Engineering and Constructors Ltd.
InventorsJames M. Lockhart, James T. Wearing, Ali Gulamhusein, Evan J. Hobenshield, Durk Devries
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for contacting and reacting fine cellulosic material with acid to produce partly-hydrolyzed cellulose, in which the cellulose is compressed to form higher density material, resulting in reduced consumption of acid and increased uniformity of reaction times. Cellulosic material, such as ground wood pulp, is compressed to reduce the interstitial spaces therein. The compressed material is contacted with an acid, such as sulfuric acid, which is allowed to wick into the interstitial spaces and react with the cellulose to produce partly-hydrolyzed cellulose.
Claims22
A method of reacting cellulosic material with acid to produce cellulose crystallites, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing dry cellulosic material;
- (b) compressing the dry cellulosic material to produce a compressed cellulosic material;
- (c) contacting the dry cellulosic material with an acid solution, before, during or after step (b), wherein the weight ratio of the acid solution to the cellulosic material is in the range of 1.5:1 to 5:1;
- (d) allowing the compressed cellulosic material to absorb and react with the acid, at a temperate of 70 degrees C. or less, to produce cellulose crystallites;
- and
- (e) separating the produced cellulose crystallites from the acid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.