Cellulose fibrillation
View Patent ↗A process for making a fibrillated blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers in which a blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers is provided. The lyocell is from 25% to 75% of the total weight of the blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers. The blend is refined in a high shear field device to provide a blend of fibrillated lyocell and pulp fibers having a diameter of 10 to 500 nanometers and a fiber length of 50 to 500 μm. The high shear field device can be a homogenizer or colloid mill.
1. A process for making a fibrillated blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers comprising
providing a blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers wherein the lyocell is from 25% to 75% of the total weight of the blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers,
refining the blend in a high shear field device to provide a blend of fibrillated lyocell and pulp fibers having a diameter of 10 to 500 nanometers and a fiber length of 50 to 500 μm.
2. The process of claim 1 in which the high shear field device is a homogenizer or colloid mill.
3. The process of claim 1 in which the weight of the lyocell is from 40 to 60% of the weight of the blend.
4. The process of claim 3 in which the high shear field device is a homogenizer or colloid mill.
5. The process of claim 1 in which the weight of the lyocell is 50% of the weight of the blend.
6. The process of claim 5 in which the high shear field device is a homogenizer or colloid mill.
7. The process of claim 1 in which the blend passes through three sections of increased restriction in the high shear field device.
8. The process of claim 7 in which the high shear field device is a homogenizer or colloid mill.
9. The process of claim 1 in which the blend passes through decreased sizes of rotors and stator bars in the high shear field device.
10. The process of claim 9 in which the high shear field device is a homogenizer or colloid mill.