METHOD FOR PRODUCING MODIFIED CELLULOSE

1 . A method for producing modified nanofibrillated cellulose, characterized by the steps of

preparing a suspension containing fibers from cellulosic material;

adsorbing a cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative onto the fibers in said suspension under special conditions; and

subjecting the fiber suspension comprising said cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative to mechanical disintegration;

to obtain modified nanofibrillated cellulose modified with said cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulosic material is a pulp such as a chemical pulp, mechanical pulp, thermo mechanical pulp or chemi-thermo mechanical pulp produced from wood, non-wood material or recycled fibers.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , characterized in that wood is from softwood tree, hardwood tree, or a mixture of softwoods and hardwoods.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulose derivative is carboxymethyl cellulose.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is adsorbed onto the fibers prior to or during mechanical disintegration.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is adsorbed onto the fibers both prior to and during mechanical disintegration.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is adsorbed onto the fibers at a temperature of at least 5° C., preferably at a temperature of at least 20° C., the upper limit being 180° C.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is adsorbed onto the fibers at a temperature of 75° C.-80° C.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is adsorbed onto the fibers for at least 1 minute, preferably for at least 1 hour, preferably for 2 hours.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the method takes place in the presence of monovalent or polyvalent cations such as aluminium, calcium and/or sodium salts, preferably CaCl 2 .

11 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pH value of the fiber suspension is at least pH 2, preferably from pH 7.5 to 8, the upper limit being pH 12.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the amount of added cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is at least 5 mg/g of fiber suspension, preferably from 10 to 50 mg/g, preferably 20 mg/g, the upper limit being 1000 mg/g of fiber suspension.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that mechanical disintegration is carried out with a refiner, grinder, homogenizer, colloider, friction grinder, fluidizer such as microfluidizer, macrofluidizer or fluidizer-type homogenizer.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the fiber suspension is passed through mechanical disintegration at least once, preferably 2, 3, 4 or 5 times.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the fiber suspension containing the cellulose derivative or polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative is redispersed in water to a concentration of at least 0.1%, preferably at least 1%, more preferably at least 2%, 3%, 4% or 5%, up to 10% prior to mechanical disintegration.

16 . A modified nanofibrillated cellulose obtainable by a method according to claim 1 and characterized by that a diameter of nanofibrillated cellulose is less than 1 μm.

17 . Use of modified nanofibrillated cellulose according to claim 16 in food products, composite materials, concrete, oil drilling products, coatings, cosmetic products, pharmaceutical products or paper.

18 . A paper containing the modified nanofibrillated cellulose of claim 16 .

19 . A paper according to claim 18 , characterized in that the amount of modified nanofibrillated cellulose is at least 0.2%, preferably at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% or 5%, up to 20% by weight of the paper.

20 . Use of a method according to claim 1 for producing modified nanofibrillated cellulose energy efficiently.

21 . Use of a method according to claim 1 for producing paper with improved properties.

22 . A method for manufacturing paper with improved properties characterized by the steps of

preparing a fiber suspension from cellulosic material; and

adding modified nanofibrillated cellulose according to claim 16 to the fiber suspension.