Microfibrillated cellulose
AssigneeInternational Telephone and Telegraph Corporation
InventorsAlbin F. Turbak, Fred W. Snyder, Karen R. Sandberg
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Abstract
Microfibrillated celluloses having properties distinguishable from all previously known celluloses, are produced by passing a liquid suspension of cellulose through a small diameter orifice in which the suspension is subjected to a pressure drop of at least 3000 psig and a high velocity shearing action followed by a high velocity decelerating impact, and repeating the passage of said suspension through the orifice until the cellulose suspension becomes a substantially stable suspension. The process converts the cellulose into microfibrillated cellulose without substantial chemical change of the cellulose starting material.
Claims10
Microfibrillated cellulose prepared by passing a liquid suspension of fibrous cellulose through a high pressure homogenizer having a small diameter orifice in which said suspension is subjected to a pressure drop of at least 3000 psi followed by a high velocity decelerating impact against a solid surface, said microfibrillated cellulose having a water retention value of over 280%, a settling volume after 60 minutes in a 0.5% by weight suspension in water of greater than 60% and a rate of degradation increase by hydrolysis at 60 .degree.C. in one molar hydrochloric acord at least twice as great as cellulose beaten to a Canadian Standard Freeness value of 50 ml.
Microfibrillated cellulose prepared by passing a liquid suspension of fibrous cellulose through a high pressure, homogenizer having a small diameter orifice in which said suspension is subjected to a pressure drop of at least 3000 psi followed by a high velocity decelerating impact against a solid surface, said microfibrillated cellulose having a settling volume after 60 minutes in a 0.5% by weight suspension in water of greater than 60%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.