# US 2018/0022908 A1 · Molding material mixture and method for producing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022908 A1 - Document ID: US20180022908A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/657,970 - Filed: 2017-07-24 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25 - Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha; Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha; Kurashiki Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Asuka AKIHAMA; Minoru SUGIYAMA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022908A1 ## CPC - B29B 9/14: fibre-reinforced - C08L 23/12: Polypropene - B22C 1/14: for separating the pattern from the mould - B22C 3/00: Selection of compositions for coating the surfaces of moulds, cores, or patterns - B29B 7/002: {Methods (chemical aspects C08J3/00)} - B29B 7/90: Fillers or reinforcements {, e.g. fibres} - C08F 251/02: on to cellulose or derivatives thereof - B29B 9/16: Auxiliary treatment of granules - C08L 2205/16: Fibres; Fibrils - B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - B22C: FOUNDRY MOULDING (moulding refractory materials in general B28B) - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A molding material mixture comprising: cellulose nanofibers; and at least one base material selected from the group consisting of a resin and fibers, wherein a hydrophobic polymer is chemically bonded to at least some of —OH groups of the cellulose nanofibers, and the base material and the cellulose nanofibers are ground or pelletized. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The molding material mixture according to claim 1, wherein a distance between fibers in the cellulose nanofibers in a dry state is 3 nm or more. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The molding material mixture according to claim 1, wherein the molding material mixture does not become viscous when mixed with water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The molding material mixture according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer is formed by graft polymerization of a hydrophobic monomer including an unsaturated hydrocarbon radical. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The molding material mixture according to claim 1, wherein a proportion of the cellulose nanofibers is 1 to 50% by weight and a proportion of the base material is 50 to 99% by weight relative to 100% by weight of the entire molding material mixture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The molding material mixture according to claim 1, wherein the base material is integrated with the cellulose nanofibers. ### Claim 7 A method for producing a molding material mixture comprising: a pre-irradiation step of applying a solvent dispersion of cellulose nanofibers to a base material sheet or immersing a base material sheet in the solvent dispersion of cellulose nanofibers, irradiating the base material sheet with an electron beam, and bringing the base material sheet into contact with a solution or a solvent dispersion containing a hydrophobic monomer so that the hydrophobic monomer is graft-polymerized onto the cellulose nanofibers, or a simultaneous irradiation step of mixing a solvent dispersion of cellulose nanofibers 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 cellulose nanofibers; a step of drying the base material sheet containing a graft polymer; and a step of grinding or pelletizing the base material sheet containing the graft polymer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method for producing the molding material mixture according to claim 7, wherein the base material sheet is at least one selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin sheet and a thermoplastic synthetic fiber sheet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method for producing the molding material mixture according to claim 8, wherein the thermoplastic synthetic fiber sheet is a nonwoven fabric. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method for producing the molding material mixture according to claim 7, wherein the pre-irradiation step or the simultaneous irradiation step performs the electron beam irradiation when the cellulose nanofibers are wet or after the cellulose nanofibers are dried.