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US 2026/0275058 A1Published application
Methods of making cellulose ester microbeads with water recovery and recycle
AssigneeEastman Chemical Company
InventorsRobert David Pace, Timothy R. Pitts, Glenn Lewis Shoaf, Garry Kenneth Weakley, Kenny Randolph Parker, Michael John Visneski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of making cellulose ester (CE) microbeads are provided. The CE microbeads are produced by forming initial CE microparticles suspended in a liquid phase, and converting the microparticles to hardened CE microbeads. The produced microbeads are biodegradable, and have enhanced solidity, sphericity, and smoothness.
Claims21
A method of making cellulose ester (CE) microbeads, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a CE dope comprising a CE dissolved in a solvent;
- (b) combining at least a portion of the CE dope with an aqueous mixture to produce an initial emulsion;
- (c) converting at least a portion of the initial emulsion into a dispersion comprising a solid phase and a liquid phase, wherein the solid phase comprises pre-hardened CE microparticles;
- (d) contacting at least a portion of the pre-hardened CE microparticles with a water-containing drowning liquid to form a hardened dispersion comprising hardened CE microbeads and the drowning liquid;
- (e) recovering a water-enriched stream from at least a portion of the hardened dispersion;
- and
- (f) recycling at least a portion of the water-enriched stream for use in the aqueous mixture of step (b).
4 more elements
A method of making cellulose ester (CE) microbeads, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a CE dope comprising a CE dissolved in a solvent;
- (b) combining at least a portion of the CE dope with an aqueous mixture to produce an initial emulsion;
- (c) converting at least a portion of the initial emulsion into a dispersion comprising a solid phase and a liquid phase, wherein the solid phase comprises pre-hardened CE microparticles;
- (d) contacting at least a portion of the pre-hardened microparticles with a water-containing drowning liquid to form a hardened dispersion comprising hardened CE microbeads and the drowning liquid;
- (e) recovering at least a portion of a solvent-enriched stream from the hardened dispersion;
- and
- (f) recycling at least a portion of the solvent-enriched stream for use as the solvent of step (a).
4 more elements
21-30. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.