Surface-Modified and Dried Microfibrillated Cellulose Reinforced Thermoplastic Biocomposites
AssigneesUT-Battelle, LLC, FiberLean Technologies Limited
InventorsSoydan OZCAN, Kai LI, Halil TEKINALP, Xianhui ZHAO, Jon PHIPPS, Sean IRELAND
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Abstract
A process for producing dried, vinyl carboxylate surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose having improved mechanical properties and a microfibril structure and a process for producing a vinyl carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose—thermoplastic polyester or thermoplastic polyolefin composite material having improved mechanical strength properties utilizing dried, vinyl carboxylate surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose.
Claims30
A process for producing a vinyl-carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose—thermoplastic polyester or thermoplastic polyolefin biocomposite material having improved mechanical strength properties, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) preparing or obtaining a dried, vinyl-carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose;
- (b) heating and mixing the polylactic acid to about 175° C.;
- (c) combining the vinyl-carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose with the heated thermoplastic polyester or thermoplastic polyolefin in a mixing apparatus;
- and
- (d) recovering the vinyl-carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose—thermoplastic polyester or thermoplastic polyolefin biocomposite;
- wherein the vinyl-carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose thermoplastic polyester or thermoplastic polyolefin biocomposite demonstrates improved tensile strength and Young's modulus compared to neat thermoplastic polyester or thermoplastic polyolefin biocomposite.
A process for producing oven-dried, vinyl carboxylate surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose having improved mechanical properties and a microfibril structure, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) dispersing microfibrillated cellulose in an aqueous medium by high-shear mixing;
- (b) adding a K2CO3 solution and vinyl carboxylate to the microfibrillated cellulose dispersion of step (a) and heating and mixing the mixture of K2CO3 solution, vinyl carboxylate and microfibrillated cellulose at a sufficient temperature to react the vinyl carboxylate and microfibrillated cellulose by a transesterification process in the aqueous phase, to form a vinyl carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose;
- (c) removing unreacted vinyl carboxylate and K2CO3 by cooling the vinyl carboxylate, surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose to room temperature and filtering;
- and
- (d) drying the surface-modified microfibrillated cellulose.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.