Molding material mixture and method for producing the same

Abstract

A molding material mixture contains cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and at least one base material selected from the group consisting of a resin and fibers. A hydrophobic polymer is chemically bonded to at least some of the —OH groups of the cellulose nanofibers. The base material and the cellulose nanofibers are ground or pelletized. A method for producing the molding material mixture includes the following: a pre-irradiation step of applying an aqueous dispersion of CNFs to a base material sheet or immersing a base material sheet in the CNF aqueous dispersion, irradiating the base material sheet with an electron beam, and bringing the base material sheet into contact with an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion containing a hydrophobic monomer so that the hydrophobic monomer is graft-polymerized onto the CNFs, or a simultaneous irradiation step of mixing an aqueous dispersion of CNFs with a hydrophobic monomer to form a solution, applying the mixed solution to a base material sheet or immersing a base material sheet in the mixed solution, and irradiating the base material sheet with an electron beam so that the hydrophobic monomer is graft-polymerized onto the CNFs; a drying step; and a grinding or pelletizing step. The present invention provides a molding material mixture that contains cellulose nanofibers and at least one base material selected from the group consisting of a resin and fibers, and that can be handled as a ground product or pellets, and also provides a method for producing the molding material mixture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.