Method of dewatering water soluble polymers

Abstract

Method of dewatering nanocellulose and other water soluble of hydrophilic polymers. The method comprises providing an aqueous suspension formed by nanocellulose in water, said nanocellulose having free hydroxyl groups; mixing the aqueous suspension with an ionic liquid or eutectic solvent which is capable of hydrogen bonding to at least a part of the free hydroxyl groups to form a modified suspension; and evaporating off water from the modified suspension in order to dewater the nanocellulose. With the ionic liquid procedure, solvent exchange with repeated centrifugation steps can be avoided, and solvent consumption and costs reduced, and processing sped up. The nanocellulose stabilized in the water-free environment then allows for access to efficient and thorough water-free chemical modification procedures resulting in highly fibrillated products.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.