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US 2021/0285155 A1Published application
Methods of making specialized cellulose and other products from biomass
AssigneeSweetwater Energy, Inc.
InventorsScott TUDMAN, Arunas CHESONIS
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Abstract
Provided is microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass produced efficiently and quickly through cost-effective methods and systems. The MCC is comprised of short fibers due to the process through which the biomass is subjected. In addition to MCC, nanocellulose (CNF), and high quality crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) can be produced, as well as other cellulosic compounds, clean lignin and monomeric C5 and C6 sugars.
Claims26
A low-energy intensive method for producing cellulose from biomass, the method comprising:
- a. pretreating said biomass with fibrillation, an acid, an elevated temperature, and an elevated pressure within an extruder to produce a liquid fraction comprising solubilized hemicellulose and/amorphous cellulose and a solids fraction comprising cellulose and lignin;
- b. separating the liquid fraction from the solids fraction;
- c. treating the solids fraction with an alkaline solution to solubilize the lignin, thereby producing solubilized lignin;
- and
- d. separating the solubilized lignin from the cellulose.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.