Process for making fibrillated cellulose acetate staple fibers
AssigneeEastman Chemical Company
InventorsTim J. Frederick, Melvin G. Mitchell, Lee R. Partin, Alan K. Wilson, Richard D. Neal
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a process for producing a fibrillated cellulose acetate fiber comprising contacting cellulose acetate fiber with a strong base solution at conditions sufficient to remove greater than about 5% of bulk acetyl groups from said cellulose acetate fiber. Modified cellulose acetate staple fiber comprising an outer layer of regenerated cellulose in which at least about 5% of the acetyl groups are removed on an overall fiber basis are also disclosed. Paper products incorporating said fibers are also disclosed.
Claims19
A process comprising:
- contacting cellulose acetate fiber with a strong base solution having a pH of greater than about 11 at conditions sufficient to remove from at least about 5% to about 10% of bulk acetyl groups from said cellulose acetate fiber.
A modified cellulose acetate fiber comprising an outer layer having a thickness of 100 Angstroms wherein from at least about 5% to about 10% of acetyl groups in the fiber are removed on an overall fiber basis and at least about 50% of the acetyl groups removed are removed from the outer layer.
A process comprising:
- contacting cellulose ester fiber with a strong base solution having a pH of greater than about 13.4 at conditions sufficient to remove from at least about 5% to about 10% of ester groups from said cellulose ester fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.