Cellulose-containing materials
AssigneeWool Research Organisation of New Zealand, Inc.
InventorMirshahin Seyed Saleh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a process for solubilising cellulose and coagulating the resulting solution to form a cellulose-containing material. The process comprises contacting a cellulose source with a solvent comprising zinc ions and formic acid to provide a solution, coagulating the solution to provide a solid material, treating the solid material, and isolating the solid material after treatment, to provide the cellulose-containing material. The process can further comprise solubilising protein and coagulating the resulting solution to form a cellulose/protein-containing material. The cellulose-containing materials and cellulose/protein-containing materials can be produced, for example, as reconstituted fibres and films.
Claims19
A process for producing a cellulose-containing material comprising:
- (a) contacting a cellulose source with a solvent comprising zinc ions and formic acid to provide a solution;
- (b) extruding the solution from (a) into a coagulation bath to provide a solid material;
- (c) immersing the solid material from (b) in an oxidising solution comprising aqueous hydrogen peroxide or in water in the absence of an oxidising agent;
- (d) freezing the oxidising solution or water in which the solid material is immersed;
- and
- (e) when the solid material from (b) is immersed in an oxidising solution, isolating the solid material from (d), or when the solid material from (b) is immersed in water in the absence of an oxidizing agent, thawing the frozen water from (d), removing the solid material from the thawed water, and drying the solid material to provide the cellulose-containing material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.