Depolymerized cellulosic material with low crystallinity obtained from cellulosic fibers and process for its manufacture

Abstract

Depolymerized cellulose powder having substantially an amorphous structure which is obtained by letting cellulose fibers dissolve in concentrated hydrochloric acid of about 40% and at a temperature of at least 38.degree. C. A homogeneous acid hydrolysis is carried out under well controlled conditions in order to depolymerize the dissolved cellulose and is stopped when the cellulose has achieved a mean degree of polymerization between 10 and 200. The depolymerized dissolved cellulose is then separated and processed in order to obtain the aforesaid powder of amorphous depolymerized cellulose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.