US 9,856,607 B2 · Cellulose nanofilaments and method to produce same

Abstract

Cellulose nanofilaments from cellulose fibers, a method and a device to produce them are disclosed. The nanofilaments are fine filaments with widths in the sub-micron range and lengths up to a couple of millimeters. These nanofilaments are made from natural fibers from wood and other plants. The surface of the nanofilaments can be modified to carry anionic, cationic, polar, hydrophobic or other functional groups. Addition of these nanofilaments to papermaking furnishes substantially improves the wet-web strength and dry sheet strength much better than existing natural and synthetic polymers. The cellulose nanofilaments produced by the present invention are excellent additives for reinforcement of paper and paperboard products and composite materials, and can be used to produce superabsorbent materials.

Claims8

Dependent claims

Cellulosic nanofilaments, wherein the nanofilaments are natural wood or plant fibers, the nanofilaments comprising:

a ratio of DPnanofilaments/DPinitial is at least 0.75,
wherein DPnanofilaments is a degree of polymerization of the cellulosic nanofilaments and DPinitialis an initial degree of polymerization of a source natural wood or plant fibers, the nanofilaments further comprising
a length of at least 100 μm, and
a width of about 30 to about 300 nm,
wherein the nanofilaments are physically detached from each other, and are substantially free of fibrillated cellulose,
wherein the nanofilaments have an apparent freeness value of over 700 ml according to Paptac Standard Testing Method C1, and,
wherein a suspension comprising 1% w/w nanofilaments in water at 25° C. under a shear rate of 100s−1 has a viscosity greater than 100 cps.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cellulose nanofilaments and method to produce same

Life of this patent

Cellulose nanofilaments and method to produce same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8